A Different Evolution
by SPARK187
Summary: This is a "What If..." story. What if Rogue never joined the X-Men? And what is she met Gambit soon after her powers manifested? Rated T for now, but could change to M in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Who Am I Now

**A Different Evolution**

**Chapter One: Who Am I Now?**

**This is a slightly different take on the X-Men Evolution episode Rogue Recruit. Something I wrote a while back. This story has around 40 chapters, but no real end to it. It asks the question, "What if Rogue never joined the X-Men?" So this story is all twisted around from the original cartoon, many shocking surprises and a few original characters in the mix. Hope you enjoy.**

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go out tonight," Irene said, as Rogue grabbed her black leather jacket ready to leave the house. "What if something happens?"

"Aunt Irene, stop worrin'," Rogue said as she heard a honk outside in the driveway. "Ah'll be careful, and besides it's just a party. What could happen?"

"Alright, honey, but be back by curfew," Irene said giving the girl a hug.

"See ya later," she said as she left the house.

"Hey, Rogue," a dark-haired girl in a dark blue mini skirt and metallic silver top called from the car.

"Hey, Tara," Rogue called back walking swiftly to the car. Tara opened the back seat door for her.

"Nice outfit," she said, eying Rogue's black leather mini skirt and black cotton top with string straps. "Who says Goths aren't hot."

"Cut it out, Tara," Rogue said. Tara's boyfriend Bruno was driving. His long black hair, obviously died was tied back in the ponytail. "Are we gonna sit here all day admiring Aunt Irene's daisies?"

"Hell, no," Bruno said as he slammed on the gas. Tara cranked up the volume, the song _Push It_ by Garage was blasting through the speakers.

"Time to party," Tara yelled out the window as they sped off in the car. Rogue looked back at the house to see Irene standing on the porch, a concerned look on her face.

Rogue's expression took a more serious note, remembering all the things she and Irene had discussed over the last few years. Rogue knew she was born different, special. That's what her mother had always told her, and that one day she would have great power. To her it seemed like a mere fairytale, some story that her mother and Aunt Irene made up.

Then seeing Irene's face as she took off with her friends led her to wonder. "Earth to Rogue!" Tara practically shouted in her ear.

"What?" Rogue said startled. There again she was retreating into her own little world only to be lured out by Tara's shrieks.

"What's with you lately?" Tara asked. "It's like you're a million miles away."

"It's nothin'," Rogue said. "Ah'm fine." But she wasn't. All she could think of was the look on Irene's face, like she knew something. Rogue put it out of her mind. Her only thoughts tonight were about having a good time.

"We're here," Bruno said as he parked the car. There were several teenagers outside, some drinking, some just hanging out. Rogue noticed a couple leaning up against a tree making out. She shook her head thinking they should get a room. She exited the car as Tara approached her.

"God, ah feel like a third wheel," she said, looking over at her friend.

"Not tonight," Tara said excitedly. "I heard through the grapevine that Cody Banks has a thing for you, and he only came to this party because I let it slip that you were coming."

"What?" Rogue shouted at her. When she realized how loud she speaking was she lowered her tone. "Are ya tryin' t'make me look desperate or somethin'?"

"No," Tara said, playing innocent. "Just giving you a push in the right direction, besides it's time you get a boyfriend that's outside those crazy fantasies of yours."

Rogue just let out a grunted sigh as they reached the house. She almost wanted to turn tale and run in the other direction if it wasn't for Tara holding onto her arm. As they entered the house Rogue's ears were buzzing from the loud music. It was loud from the outside, but inside it was absolutely screaming.

"Hey, Bruno!" another boy shouted. He was wearing a letterman's jacket. He must have been one of Cody's teammates on the football team.

"Hey, Kalvin," Bruno said. "You here with Sandy?"

"Yeah, well, ah'm supposed to be," Kalvin said as she scanned the room for his elusive girlfriend. "She's probably in the bathroom primping again."

"Girlfriends," Bruno said, punching his friend playfully on the shoulder and laughing.

"Hey!" Bruno turned to see the sour look on Tara's face. Bruno jumped back seeing how angry she really was. "Can I talk to you!" It was more of a demand I rather than a request.

Rogue just laughed. Bruno and Tara were off to have another pointless argument.

"Hey, you're Rogue, right?" Kalvin asked.

"Yeah, so," she said.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

"Not with you," she said, starting to walk away.

"Why not?" he asked as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

"Because your girlfriend is standing right over there staring at us," Rogue said as she snatched her arm back and stumped away. "The nerve," she said under her breath.

She made her way into the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of punch that was sitting on the table. She saw a turned over empty liquor bottle about a foot away from the punch bowl. She sniffed the glass getting a faint whiff of alcohol. She didn't care. She figured she could use a drink. She took a sip thinking that it didn't taste bad. It's not like she had never tasted alcohol before. She would often raid Irene's liquor cabinet, but the hardest thing Irene drank was a simple bottle of port wine.

She took her drink and walked out onto the back porch. Thankfully no one was out there. She stood out by the railing and breathed in the night air. All she wanted right now was to be alone, a wish that was not to be granted. After a minute or so of silence she heard whispers coming from behind her. She dared not look to see who it was. She figured it was that jerk Kalvin again who attempted to hit on her.

She kept her spot pretending that the male voices were not in her earshot. That was until she realized one voice was coming from right behind her. "Hey," she heard him say. She recognized that voice. It was Cody Banks, the boy she secretly had a crush on.

"Hey, what?" she said, trying to act disinterested.

"How's it goin'?" he said nervously. "Nice night, isn't it?"

She would have laughed at his pathetic attempts at a pick up line if she hadn't turned around and looked at him. God, he was adorable. With his blonde hair and bright blue eyes shining in the moonlight she felt her legs turn to jello. She cursed herself for getting hung over about a guy. She was Rogue after all. Why would she care if some dumb jock paid her any attention? Then again, it could have been the alcohol playing tricks with her head.

"Yeah, it's a nice night," was all she could think of to say.

"Would ya like t'dance?" he asked.

"Well, ah'm just kinda hangin' out here is all," she said. Then she saw a hurt look come to his face. Hesitantly, she said, "Okay, what's the harm in one dance." He took her hand and led her back into the house. There was a fast song playing, but it was hard to make it out since the other kids were making so much noise. They danced through two songs until Rogue suggested that they go somewhere and talk.

They went back outside to the porch after getting fresh drinks. "Some party, huh?" Cody asked not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, ah wasn't even gonna come tonight," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "Ah'm glad ah did."

"Me too," he said, coming closer to her. "Ah'd like t'kiss ya right now," he said nervously.

"Then stop askin' an' do it," she said.

He leaned towards her slightly touching her lips. Rogue liked the soft feel of his lips on hers and craved more. She put her arms around his neck deepening the kiss, but something strange happened. She felt a slight pull. Suddenly her mind flooded with images, memories not her own. Before she knew what was happening Cody lay unconscious on the ground.

"Oh, god, no!" she shouted. "Somebody, help!" The images kept pouring into her head, until she couldn't focus anymore. She saw her friend Tara run up to her. She shook her head violently trying to get the images out of her mind.

"Rogue, what happened?" Tara asked. Rogue just clutched her hands on either side of her head, feeling like she was about to explode.

Rogue looked up at her friend seeing the girl was about to touch her skin. "Don't touch me!" she shouted and rose to her feet.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked in confusion. Rogue backed up towards the railing.

"It was her!" Kalvin shouted pointing finger at Rogue.

"Yeah, that bitch just tried to kill Cody," she heard another boy say. She didn't recognize him, but he was wearing the same letterman's jacket as Kalvin and Cody.

Before she knew it three boys, all jocks and probably friends of Cody's rushed towards her. She told herself that she had to get away. But how? She had to find a means of escape. As one of the boys grabbed her, she immediately went into defensive mode, pulling herself through the jocks blocking her way. She easily knocked one of them to the ground while the other one stumbled but retained his control to not fall.

"Shit!" Kalvin said, watching Rogue take off down the porch steps. "I thought only Cody had moves like that."

Rogue just kept running. She wanted to get away from the scene, the accusing voices, but somehow she couldn't escape the voice in her head. It was Cody's voice. She felt like she was losing herself, like she wasn't Rogue anymore. She was someone else. She was Cody. His personality had taken over, and although she was conscious of her actions she couldn't control them. All she wanted was to be home, in the safety of her room where no one could touch her. That's where she would go. Home.

She soon approached a house. At first she didn't recognize it. "Do I live here?" she asked out loud. "No, this isn't home. It can't be." But then something took over again, something she couldn't control.

She climbed the steps of the front porch and tried to open the door. "Damn, it's locked." She thought for a moment. She climbed on one the porch chairs reaching her arm up onto the sloping roof of the porch ceiling. There it was, the spare key.

She quickly unlocked the door and walked into the house. It was dark, but by some instinct she knew exactly where the light switch was. She had never been here. She knew she hadn't, but somehow she knew this place. She felt a growling in her stomach and walked straight for the kitchen. She went straight for the cupboard over the sink where her favorite snack bars were hidden behind some dishes. _Wait_, she thought to herself. _I don't even like granola bars, do I?_

She took one out and returned the box to its hiding place. She unwrapped the tasty snack and took a bite, then headed for the stairs. _My room_, she thought. She felt suddenly tired and wanted to lie down. She walked down to the end of the hallway and opened the last door. She peeked inside first. It looked familiar, but was it? She walked inside studying the room. It felt like her room, but it couldn't have been. This was more a boy's room, and she wasn't a boy.

There were sports posters hanging on the wall and a glass case on the far side by the closet filled with trophies. There was a metal wire mess basket full of different sporting balls: a basketball, a football and even a soccer ball. She noticed a basketball hoop opposite the bed which had brown and red sheets. She looked over at the dresser and noticed all the pictures sticking out at the ends of the glass mirror. It was Cody in many of the pictures. A few showed him with his teammates and friends, a few with girls. They must have been old girlfriends, she thought. One stuck out more than the others. Cody was standing next a kid, who looked to be a younger version of himself, and in the back stood two older people, a man and woman. It was a family picture. She pulled it out and studied it.

"This is me?" she questioned. "This is mine." She looked around the room again. No, it can't be. She shook her head, knowing this couldn't be true.

Suddenly she heard a noise coming from downstairs. Something wasn't right. She was about to go and investigate when someone or something came bursting through the door. Rogue was in a panicked state, but not so much so that would have been frozen in her place. She readied herself for a fight.

The intruder unsheathed two sets of metal claws coming out of both of his hands. She backed up as much as she could, She feared that the monster that stood before her was hell-bent on killing her.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" she asked, trying to reason with him.

The man with the claws steadily came towards her, his gruff voice sending chills up her spine. "You girly, I want you." At that moment he lunged towards Rogue, but she was quick to act, getting out of the line of fire just in time. He crashed through a wall which only made him angry. "Stand still, and I'll make it quick. You're dealing with the X-Men now, and you ain't gotta chance."

Rogue picked up a broken board ready to defend herself. "X-Men?" She was confused by the name. She had no idea what he was talking about. "I don't understand." She was becoming angry now, and shouted at him. "I just want you to leave me alone." She smashed the board down on his head and ran out of the room and down the stairs. He ran after her, but Rogue managed to escape him.

Scared out of her mind, still feeling Cody inside of her even though his hold wasn't nearly as strong, Rogue ran. It was all she could think of to do. She didn't understand why that guy attacked her, but she wasn't about to give him a second chance.

She approached a high wooden fence. It would be much simpler to try and jump over it then go around. She didn't know if that guy was following her or not, and her trail would be harder to follow or so she thought. There was one flaw in her plan. She looked down to see a dark-skinned woman with white hair. She had thrown something at the fence that Rogue was more at the top of. Before she could act there was an explosion, and Rogue was thrown to the ground. She barely had time to recover when she looked up and saw her Aunt Irene.

Rogue was so confused that she wasn't sure if it really was Irene that she saw. "Rogue, it's me," she heard the woman say. "Aunt Irene. Try to remember."

"Who?" Rogue asked still confused. "Wait…" She hesitated for moment, trying to clear her thoughts. "Aunt Irene. Yes, but I'm so confused, strange thoughts in my head, people chasing me."

"Easy, honey," her aunt said, trying to soothe her. "The police are coming. The X-Men will not risk a confrontation."

"The X-Men?" she questioned. She heard that word before, trying to place it. Yes, the guy with the claws mentioned the X-Men. She was trembling with fear at the name.

"Yes," Irene said. "Mutant hunters." Irene helped Rogue to her feet. "I have a friend who can help you. I'll take you to her."

Rogue felt a little more relieved, but still she was apprehensive. "All this is happening so fast. Ah don't…" Rogue looked up to see three beings coming towards them. One of them was the guy with the claws. He was heading the group. There was also a girl of about fifteen with brown hair in a ponytail and a blue demonic-looking creature. Fear struck her again seeing that man. "It's him." She pointed in his direction. "The one who attacked me. Run, Irene, run!"

Rogue ran off in the opposite direction of her pursuers, but one of her gloves came off.

"That's gotta be her!" Wolverine shouted as they continued their pursuit.

"Please, leave me be," she pleaded.

She quickly climbed over a wooden fence to get away. Rogue found herself in backyard of a local residence. She wasn't worried about getting caught trespassing, although she should have been. She was alone again. The voice of Cody inside her head had faded away, and all she could hear was the faint sounds of the night.

Suddenly Rogue had the feeling like she wasn't alone. She looked up to see a boy not much younger than her sitting on a swing. "Guten Tag, Fräulein." He spoke in German. "Please, don't be frightened," he said in English with his German accent. He teleported from his place on the swing to the water fountain Rogue was standing next to.

"What do ya want?" she asked him in an agitated voice.

"To help you," he said, his voice was sympathetic. She was still skeptical of his intensions, but she would at least hear him out. "We're the good guys, especially me. I was like you once. Alone, unsure of what I was, afraid to show my face. Can you believe it?"

Rogue kept a straight face, hoping this kid was being sincere. She turned and saw a girl with brown hair standing by the tall wooden fence that she had climbed over not so long ago.

"She doesn't look so tough to me," she faintly heard the girl say. Kitty came towards them which startled Rogue.

Kurt saw the fear in her and eyes and shouted, "Kitty, no!"

Kitty grabbed onto Rogue forcing her to the ground. Rogue easily escaped Kitty's grasp as Kurt approached them. This was an ambush. Well, Rogue figured that they wouldn't get her without a fight. In an attempt to get away she hit Kurt's watch. Something strange happened after that. The image of a normal-looking human boy faded away and in its place stood a blue demon with yellow eyes and a long tail. He was the creature who was with the guy with the steel claws. This was all a ploy to get to her.

He grabbed into her, trying to stop her from getting away. In the struggle she touched his face. Suddenly new images and memories invaded her mind, but there was something different this time. Rogue stepped back. All she wanted was to get away, and suddenly she disappeared into a puff of smoke.

The next thing she knew she was in a graveyard. "What just happened?" she asked herself out loud. "Where am I?" Rogue took in her surroundings. She couldn't fathom how this could have happened. The graveyard was a few miles away, so how did she wind up here? "Ich speche deutsch. I can speak German?" She thought for a moment. "The fuzzy one… Kurt, ah'm him, like ah was Cody. I think ah'm catchin' on now. But how did ah…"

Suddenly Rogue was teleporting all over the graveyard, and for the first time since the traumatic incident with Cody she was actually having fun, but the feeling of joy only lasted for a few minutes. On her last teleport she reappeared a few inches off the ground and ended up falling on the ground.

Despair took over again as she asked herself out loud. "When's this all gonna end?"

She sat huddled on the ground by one of the tombstones. She closed her eyes thinking that when she opened them she would somehow wake up in her own bed safe and sound, and this would all have been some awful dream. After a minute or so she did open her eyes, and she was still in the graveyard. She looked up to see a tall red-headed girl approach her. She rose promptly from where she was sitting, not knowing what to expect but being prepared for the worst.

"Hi," the girl simply said.

"Do ah know you?" Rogue asked, studying the girl's face. She had seen it before but didn't know where. "All these memories, ah'm so confused."

"Yeah, I know," the girl said. "I can relate to what you're going through."

A name popped into Rogue mind. She finally could place a name with the girl who stood before her. "Jean? You're Jean Gray." Jean nodded with a half-smile, but it didn't make Rogue feel any better. "You're like the others!" Rogue shouted, pointing at her accusingly.

"Relax," Jean said calmly, but Rogue's intense trembling persisted. Jean tried to calm her down by saying, "If you know who I am, then you know I won't hurt you. Look it's tough to go it solo." Rogue seemed to calm down a little, but she still couldn't bring herself to trust this girl. "Hey, zero pressure. If you want to talk more you can reach me anytime on this communicator."

Jean opened her hand, and Rogue saw the small device float through the air until it was within her reach. She hesitantly took it and held it in her hand. "Latest fashion accessory, huh?"

"We all have one." Rogue looked up to see a young man with a visor over his eyes and a dark-skinned woman with white hair. She was the one that spoke. She recognized her. She was the one that threw the grenade at her causing her to fall to the ground. Fear entered her eyes again.

"You!" Rogue shouted, pointing a finger at the woman. "No, you won't take me!" Rogue ran in the other direction seeing the boy with the visor try to chase after her, but he stumbled and fell in the mud.

She ran deeper into the graveyard until she found a mausoleum. It was as good as any place to hide. She went inside and hid herself behind a large sealed coffin. Even though she was alone now, she was still frightened, more by the deafening silence than any appending harm her pursuers could inflict.

Suddenly she heard a noise and looked up to see the boy with the visor come through an opening in the ceiling. He dropped down and landed on his feet. He was still a good distance away from her, but she was still huddled on the floor too scared to get up.

"Thought you could escape us, did you?" he shouted, slowly coming towards her. He smashed a large piece of pottery that was in his way. "The X-Men don't leave loose ends." He was still coming closer as he smashed another large vase.

Rogue backed up some more and found the strength to rise to her feet. She quickly ran out of the mausoleum, and to her surprise ran into the very person she was running from. She pushed him out of her way, which left him dazed. A bright red beam came from his eyes hitting the powers lines and causing an explosion. Rogue ran back into the mausoleum, only to run into a very angry Jean Gray.

"I tried," Jean shouted at her. "I really did, but some people just won't be helped."

Jean raised her hand ready to attack, but Rogue quickly teleported away. She reappeared in midair about a foot off the ground. Startled, she fell and hit the ground.

"Are you hurt?" Rogue heard Jean Gray's voice. Why was she being so sympathetic now_? Must be a trick_, Rogue thought to herself. Well, she wasn't going to fall for that act again. "Lie still. Don't try to move."

Rogue was now in a sitting position. She backed up away from Jean, but soon realized that the dark-skinned woman who attacked her earlier was right behind her.

"Child, what it is?" the woman asked. She looked genuinely confused, but Rogue was too frightened to care. "We are your friends."

The woman was close enough for Rogue to touch. The contact threw the woman back a few feet in a puddle of water. Rogue could see the boy with the visor coming towards her, but suddenly she was rising into the air. This great surge of power felt wonderful. The rain, the thunder, the lightening, they were all at her command.

"What's with the affects?" the boy with the visor asked. She shuffled through the memories. Cyclops, that's what they called him. She smiled deliciously as the power of the elements took over her body. "Oh, no… No!"

Rogue had control of Storm's powers, or more likely they had control of her. Storm, she knew that was her name, looking into the memories of the weather witch. Lightening came forth striking a tree. Chaos consumed the air as Rogue commanded the elements. Jean created a force field to protect herself and Cyclops, but the pressure pushed her power to the limit and she was growing weak.

"I can hold it off a little…" she managed to get a few words out.

"Give it up," Cyclops said. "She's got Storm's powers, but not her control." In the distance the mausoleum was hit by a stone statue and crumbled into rubble. Then a lightning bolt hit the power lines. Cyclops looked on in horror towards Storm's direction. "The power lines," he shouted turning towards Jean. "If they hit that water, Storm will be fried."

Cyclops and Jean raced towards the unconscious Storm. Cyclops reached her first, while Jean stayed a few feet behind. He lifted her unconscious body out of the water. Jean used her levitation as a means of escape, but using so much of her power was quickly weakening her.

"I can't keep this up for long," she managed to say.

Rogue was still in midair as the chaos continued. She wanted it to stop. She looked over at Jean with a lost look in her eye. "Too much power," she cried out. "Ah can't control it." With her last bit of clarity gone, Rogue screamed. She disappeared, leaving everything suddenly quiet and still.

Rogue reappeared at home, her Aunt Irene's home, but somehow she didn't feel it was home anymore. She slowing walked up to the front porch, dragging her feet as her body was completely exhausted. She was too tired to even turn the doorknob to let herself in, but the door opened after a few seconds and she was greeted by a frantic Irene.

"Oh, honey, are you alright?" Irene asked her, putting her arms around her. It was like Irene was expecting her. "We were so worried."

"We?" Rogued asked confused.

"Yes," Irene said, with her arm still around Rogue's shoulders. "Come in here." Irene led her towards the living room. "I want you to meet someone."

Rogue did as Irene asked, too tired to protest. "Hello, Rogue, it's very nice to meet you." Rogue looked up to see a woman in her late forties dressed in a business suit and with her brown hair tied in a bun. She wore glasses and had a stern look on her face.

"Hi," was all Rogue could say.

"This is the woman I was telling you about," Irene said. "She can help you. This is Miss Darkholme, the principal of Bayville High in New York."

The woman outstretched her hand as a friendly gesture. Rogue didn't take it. The things she had been through tonight were making her a little paranoid.

Rogue wanted to be hopeful, but she was so tired, and all she wanted to do was sleep. "Aunt Irene, ah'm really tired. Can we talk about this in the mornin'?"

"Sure, honey, go on up to bed," Irene said.

Rogue slowly climbed the stairs and made her way to her room. She half lay on her bed with her legs hanging off the side trying to recount the things that happened that night, but she was so confused. The X-Men, something just didn't make sense about the whole thing. She wondered why one moment they would try to kill her and then the next moment they were trying to help her. She stood up for a moment and something fell out of her pocket. She squatted down to see what it was.

Then she remembered the girl, the red-head, Jean Gray. She gave this to her. She thought for a moment of using it. She said she could reach her anytime, but then she remembered how angry she was when she spoke to her in the mausoleum. Rogue was about to throw it out her window and forget she ever had it, but something stopped her. She went over to her dresser instead. Her handbag lay there by a picture of her Aunt Irene, her mother and her. It was taken when she was little, but she could never remember when this was. She was no more than four years old, but still she thought she would have remembered.

She still had stray thoughts running through her head, thoughts that she had picked up from the people she had touched that night. She was too tired to deal with all of this and decided she would take a shower and get some sleep.

The water was so soothing to her and made her forget all of her troubles. When the water had finally turned cold she got out and put on a pair of gray sweatpants and a T-shirt. Her door was open a crack, and she could hear voices coming from downstairs. She walked into the hallway and peeked around the corner to see what was going on. That Darkholme woman was still talking to Irene. Rogue got as close as she could without being seen.

"Are you sure she doesn't know the truth about the X-Men?" Miss Darkholme asked Irene.

_The X-Men?_ Rogue thought. They were that ones that tried to kill her, right?

"I don't think so," Irene said, 'but I can't be sure, Raven. We need to protect her. She could still be a target."

"Yes, this is a small town. When word gets out they'll be coming for her."

_No_, Rogue thought. _This can't happen_. She didn't want Irene to suffer for what she did. The best thing for her to do was get out of town. She had some money saved up, at least enough to get to the next town. She could find work, find some place where no one knew here and start over. That's what she thought anyway. She wasn't being rational, but what sixteen year old girl was rational.

She quickly packed a bag and took off out the window. She jumped off the slope of the roof landing in Irene's flower bed. She accidentally crushed a few rows of her aunt's flowers. She felt bad about it, but at least she made very little noise when she landed. She quietly took off into the night knowing she would never return here again.

**This ended differently than the original episode. Rogue will be off on her own for a while, and the next chapter is mostly flashing back on her early childhood and forgotten memories. So I'll post again soon, depending on the feedback, so keep those reviews coming.**


	2. Chapter 2:When I Was Normal

**Chapter Two: When I Was Normal**

**I finally finished typing up this chapter. This is mostly a flash back chapter, but this first scene involves Tara and Rogue. We'll be seeing a lot of her in this story. She's an original character I created strictly for this particular story. **

**Well, enough babbling, on with the story.**

* * *

><p>The night air was warm, but Rogue covered herself with a thick jacket with a hood to conceal her appearance as she raced down the street. She didn't want to leave town without at least saying goodbye to her best friend. Tara Vaughn had been just that for the last year or so.<p>

They had met on Tara's first day of school. She and her family had moved there from West Orange, New Jersey. Rogue didn't have any close friends until Tara showed up. They were two outcast Goth chicks who didn't care much about popularity clicks. They became a threesome when Bruno Camp, Tara's boyfriend from New Jersey followed her to Caldecott a month later to the dismay of Tara's parents. In fact, she went out of her way to piss them off and revealed in their disapproval.

Rogue reached Tara's house and climbed up the roof to her bedroom window. She looked inside to see Tara on her phone and pacing back and forth. Rogue gently tapped on her window, and Tara quickly turned to see Rogue's disoriented face through the window. Tara quickly raced to the window and opened it.

"Rogue, what the hell!" Tara said as she helped her friend inside.

"Hey, Tara," Rogue said as she gave her friend a sorrowful look.

"What happened to you tonight?" Tara asked. "After what happened with Cody, Bruno and I tried to find you. This bald guy in a wheelchair was asking all sorts of questions."

"What did you tell him?" Rogue asked.

"There wasn't much to tell, only that you freaked out after Cody passed out and took off." Tara stopped for a moment. "They seemed really…concerned, especially the bald guy… What was his name gain...? Xavier, that's it."

"Anything else, Tara?" Rogue asked her.

"No, just that his team… the X-Men. Yeah, that's what he called them."

"X-Men, then this guy this Xavier. He's with them!" Rogue became agitated at the mention of the X-Men. "Tara, ya can't trust 'em. They tried to kill me." She thought for minute at the things that happened that night. "At least ah think they did."

"Rogue, calm down," Tara said. She walked over to her door and made sure it was locked. "There, just in case." She walked back over to Rogue. "What are you afraid of?"

"That they'll come after me again," Rogue said, a tear escaping her eye. "The reason ah came here tonight was to tell ya that ah'm leavin'."

"Leaving? Where will are you going to go?" Tara asked.

"Ah don't know. Ah just know ah can't stay here. Ah heard my aunt Irene talkin' an' they might be lookin' for me."

Tara turned to embrace her friend but Rogue backed off. "Tara, don't." She looked confused by Rogue's words. "It's just not safe, Tara.'

"Because you're a mutant?" Tara asked. "I don't care about that. You're still my friend. You're still Rogue."

"It's not that," Rogue said, hanging her head in shame. "My skin, it's not safe t'touch. What happened with cody, ah did it. Ah didn't mean to, but…"

"You mean you knocked him out with a touch." Tara looked astounded.

"Sort of," Rogue said, sitting down on Tara's bed. "It's kinda hard to explain my powers. Ah don't even understand 'em yet."

"Just try," Tara said, but there was a sudden fear in Rogue's eyes. "Rogue, I'm not going to judge you."

At that moment Rogue felt she could truly trust Tara with this secret. "It's like…ah kinda was him. Ah absorbed him. It's the only way to explain it. His personality was so strong at first that ah couldn't really control it, but then he started to fade away. The freakiest part is that a part of him is still in here… in my head."

"That is freaky," Tara said, trying to absorb all of what Rogue was telling her. "I hate to think what people will do when they find out what you can do."

"That's why ah have t'get out of here, but ah didn't want t'leave without tellin' ya first. You're my best friend, Tara. Ah just didn't want ya t'hate me for leavin' ya."

"I wouldn't," Tara said, walking over to her dresser. She pulled out a small box and walked back over to sit down next to Rogue. "Here." She handed Rogue the box. "You could use this more than me right now."

Rogue opened the box to reveal a wad of bills. "Wait a minute," Rogue said, looking over at Tara in shock. "Ah can't take this. Wasn't this the money you were savin' for your trip to Europe?"

"Who needs Europe?" Tara said, wiping her hand in the air. "You're more important. Besides, I'd feel better knowing you had money for a motel and food, at least until you figure out where you're going."

"Thanks, Tara," Rogue said, this time not backing out of her embrace. "Ah let ya know where ah am, okay." She left out of the window. Rogue felt guilty about leaving her best friend behind, but she couldn't ask her to uproot herself and go off gallivanting with her into the unknown. Plus, being both minors they would have been considered runaways. On her own it would be much easier to hide, and Tara didn't know the meaning of the word inconspicuous.

It was a long walk but Rogue made it to the bus station before dawn. She thought it would have been so nice to still have that fuzzy blue mutant's teleporting power, but it had faded long ago. She really didn't mind discovering she was a mutant, but why did she have to have such a dangerous and complicated power. Would she ever be able to touch? She wasn't hopeful. At sixteen she felt her life was over.

She walked into the station and made her way up to the ticket booth. When's the next bus headin' out?" Rogue asked. She had her the hood of her jacket up wanting to conceal herself as much as possible.

"Twelve minutes, ma'am," the man said. "goin' t'Louisiana."

"Ah'll take it," Rogue said and handed him the money. He handed her the ticket, and she sat down on one of the long hard benches. She was the only person in the waiting area which she was grateful for. It gave her a chance to think. She tried desperately to assess when it all had gone wrong.

She was never well-liked, not exactly the popular girl. She was always pretty much a loner, even as a small child. She had rather spent her time her escape zone by reading her favorite novels. Anne Rice had been one of her favorite authors, and she always raided the local bookstore whenever she put out a new novel. She had left them all behind when she left that night, save for one: _Interview with a Vampire._ The copy she carried now was never read seeing that she bought this one as a replacement when one of her teachers caught her reading in class and confiscated it.

Now Rogue had become the one thing she never thought she'd ever be, homeless and on the run. If the X-Men or local authorizes weren't looking for her someone else would be, either to exploit her or destroy her. Maybe it was her own paranoia talking, but she wasn't about to take a chance. She couldn't trust anyone anymore, not even herself. She just hoped that Tara wouldn't let it slip about her surprise visit that night, but knowing Tara she would take that secret to the grave.

She heard the man call on the loud speaker from his booth. The Louisiana bus had just pulled in, and he really thought it necessary to make a spectacle for just one person. She got up out of her seat barely acknowledging the man's presence. Outside she entered the bus and handed the driver her ticket. She walked all the way to the back and sat down in the back corner seat. The bus was half empty and vertically no one was sitting in the back. She opened her carry-on bag and opened her book, but only after reading a few paragraphs she realized she couldn't concentrate. She had read the same line three times over and still couldn't remember what it said.

After the bus started to move she closed her book and put in back into her bag. She clutched her butterfly necklace that she wore around her neck and sat back in her seat. She had tried to remember where she had gotten it. She had had a dream about it once, but it seemed so real at the time that she thought it had truly happened. Her aunt Irene had convinced her that it was simply a dream and nothing more.

_She was all of five years old at the time and her mother was on one of her many business trips. The butterfly necklace had been her priced possession. So much so that she wanted to sleep in it._

_"But Aunt Re, I promised ah'd never take it off," she said, as she was getting into bed._

_"Who did you promise?" her Aunt Irene asked._

_"The boy…" little Anna Marie said. "The boy that gave it to me."_

_"Anna Marie, that was just a dream, honey. Don't you remember we got this out of a twenty-five cent machine on our last trip to the grocery store."_

_"No, no, it was from the boy who rescued me from the bad man. I remember."_

_"No, honey, that was just a nightmare," Irene said, soothing the girl who was obviously upset. "Now, let's take this off and put it your jewelry box." She unclasped the necklace and put it in the small box on Anna Marie's nightstand._

_Once Irene left her room she put the necklace back on and drifted off to sleep. _

The memory seemed like a dream more than an actual memory. Was she ever that young and innocent? If she had been that was no longer the case now. She drifted in and out of sleep as she leaned her head against the window. Another memory surfaced. It was something she hadn't thought about since she was a child.

_Anna Marie was no more than five years old. She was playing in the park playground as her mother and Aunt Irene were diligently watching. "Watch me, Momma. Watchme, Auntie Re."_

_They both waved to her as she pushed herself down the slide. Her two-toned hair was in pig tails with a few white strands coming loose. The sun was out on this bright summer day, and there was a slight breeze. She giggled as she reached the bottom. Her mother and aunt clapped, praising her efforts._

_No sooner had she rose to her feet was she off again. Little Anna Marie loved the slide. It was her favorite thing in the entire playground. She loved climbing the many steps, getting higher and higher, then plummeting down to the ground feeling the rush of the wind brush against her skin and through her hair._

_She continued to play as she saw her mother leave her spot on the bench. There was an ice cream vendor nearby. The thought of an ice cream cone made Anna Marie's mouth water. She was about to run over towards her mother when she saw her mother talking to some man. Her mother looked upset which frightened her. She raced over to where her aunt was sitting._

_"Auntie Re," Anna Marie called out her pet name, because she was unable to say her full name. "Why Momma look so mad?"_

_"Sweetie, she's not mad," Irene said. "She's just talking to an old friend of hers." Anna Marie looked skeptical. Friends don't look like that when talking to each other. She saw the man disappear and her mother came walking back towards them._

_"Irene," Anna's mother said as she stopped in front of her. "Take Anna Marie home. I have a little business to take care of."_

_"Sure," Irene said. She knelt down taking the little girl's hand. "Time to go home, sweetie."_

_"But ah want ice cream," Anna Marie whined, swiping her hand away from Irene._

_"We'll get some on the way home, okay," Irene said, taking her hand. Anna Marie perked up at the promise of a tasty snack. Their home was only a ten minute walk from the park, seeing as Irene was blind and couldn't drive. They stopped by the vendor and Irene bought Anna Marie a chocolate dripped cone, while getting herself a plain vanilla._

_And had pretty much devoured the ice cream by the time they reached home, and there were a few remnants of it on her face and hands. "Go wash up, Sweetie, while I go start dinner._

_"Okay, Auntie Re," she said as she bolted upstairs. Anna Marie hap-hazardly washed her hands and face and ran downstairs to turn on the television. She turned the channels on the remote until she found some cartoons._

_Her crayons and coloring book were on the coffee table along with her sketch pad and pencils. She picked up the blank pad that she used for her own drawings and dragged the pencil along the paper. She remembered the man her mother was speaking to before her abrupt departure. The man's image was embedded into her brain. Her hands took over as she drew the image of that man with the scary eyes. When she was done she quickly turned the page. There lay a picture of the boy from her dreams. He looked like any ordinary boy, but for some reason she used her red crayon to color in his eyes. The red marks she made stood out among the hues of grey her drawing pencil made. Those eyes should have scared her, but for some reason she found them comforting._

_She dreamed of him almost every night, but he never said a word. She would call out to him in her dream, but he would always be just out of her reach. Running through a dark alley or through some door, and when she finally reached it he would be gone. The feeling of being all alone in a dark place frightened her. She didn't know why she dreamed of him and sometimes the dreams scared her, but she didn't want them to stop. One day knew she would catch up to him and find out what it was he truly wanted._

_Before long Anna Marie was called to dinner. Irene made a simple diner of burgers and fries. Brail labels covered her spices and other food products. It helped in not getting the sugar and salt mixed up._

_Even after the ice cream treat Anna Marie was still very hungry. After eating all of her fries she was ready for seconds. For a small framed girl she had quite the appetite, and she was never too full for dessert._

_ Her mother had gone to the market the day before, a woman not up for baking opting for a ready-made fresh apple pie. There was still some left and Anna Marie pleaded with her aunt for just a small piece. Irene complied with a generous helping of whipped cream. Little Anna Marie devoured the dessert in record time and raced back into the living room to resume her cartoon watching. After about an hour or so she had fallen asleep on the couch. Irene didn't have the heart to wake her and retrieved a blanket from the linen closet and covered her._

_It was nearly nine o'clock when Irene started yawning and felt the need for sleep. Anna Marie's mother and her best friend had not returned yet, but that was just like her. She would often disappear for days, and come back with only one simple explanation. "It was business."_

_The night had taken over and the house had turned dark. Its two occupants well into slumber. Anna Marie had stirred around midnight. Her mouth dry she felt the need for a glass of water. She got up and walked to the kitchen and climbed on the stool to find her favorite cup sitting on the counter. She didn't have time to turn on the faucet when she heard footsteps behind her. She knew they didn't belong to her aunt or her mother. They were way too heavy. She turned around to see a man with pale skin and the oddest-looking eyes. She was scared, and screamed out of fright._

_Suddenly the man grabbed her and covered her mouth. "Quiet now, little Anna. Don't want to wake Auntie Re," he said. She felt a sharp pain in her neck and fell unconscious._

* * *

><p><strong>I know what you're thinking. You really hate me for ending it here, especially in the middle of a flashback. Well, I have to keep you on your toes. The next chapter is coming soon. And little Anna Marie meets up with a boy with demon eyes. Can anyone guess who that might be? Please, review and tell me what you think. Should I keep posting on this story, or not? It's up to you, the reader.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Angel With The Demon Eyes

**Okay, as promised here's the next chapter. More flashbacks in this one, so please, read on and enjoy.**

**Chapter Three: Angel with the Demon Eyes**

Rogue woke abruptly startled out of sleep by her strange nightmare. "You alright there, girl?" A strange man sitting a few rows ahead of her looked back and asked.

"Yeah, ah fine," she said.

It was still a long ride, and she was still tired. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. All she wanted now were pleasant dreams, but she wasn't going to get her wish.

_Little Anna Marie woke to find herself locked in a cell. She was lying on a small cot on the floor. There was very little light, and Anna Marie hated the dark. There was a dank smell that made her sniffle. She was shivering and wrapped herself in the thin gray blanket that lay on the cot. She looked around not being able to see much of anything. She cried quietly like a whimpering animal. She was frightened and alone, not knowing where she was._

_The little noise she made didn't go unnoticed. Through her tears she heard a voice. "Please, don't cry, ma petite Cherie." She looked over towards the direction of where the voice was coming from. She saw a boy in the cell next to hers. She crawled across the concrete floor until she reached him. Tears were still in her eyes. Vous êtes trop assez de crier (translation: You're too pretty to be crying.)_

_"Ah'm sorry. Ah don't understand," she said drying her tears._

_"Don't cry, petite," he said. "Dey see you cryin', dey hurt you more."_

_"But ah'm scared," Anna Marie said as the tears filled her eyes._

_"Be brave," he said, taking her hand through the bars. "I'll get you out a dis. Got a plan, an' we both escape."_

_"How?" she asked. She looked deep into the boy's eyes, noticing for the first time the deep red hue of his irises. She gasped in surprise at seeing them. He turned away suddenly. "What's wrong?"_

_"I know you don't like my eyes. No one does," he said hanging his head in shame._

_Anna Marie smiled at him and touched his hand. "Ah think they're nice." He looked up at her in surprise. "Ah jus' never seen eyes like yours before."_

_"Really, you t'ink dere nice?" he asked. She nodded as she smiled widely at him. "Your eyes are nice too."_

_Anna Marie blushed at his statement. She never met a boy who was so nice to her. Most boys on the playground picked on her by making fun of her unusual hair and saying nasty things to her. She would retaliate and would get into fights sometimes. She was small for her age but no less fierce. _

_"So, what's your name?" she asked him._

_"Remy," he said. "An' yours?"_

_"Anna Marie," she said. They both heard footsteps at that moment. Anna Marie's face went pale. "What's gonna happen?" She turned to Remy and asked._

_"Don' know," he said. "Go on back to your cot and stay quiet. Guards don' like us takin'. Dey get nasty sometimes."_

_She nodded in agreement and crawled back over to her cot. Remy watched her from the corner of his eye. She was trembling fiercely as a guard approached her cell. Her eyes grew wide and her face turned white as a sheet when the towering shadowy figure entered. The man approached her slowly. She backed up into the corner of the cell clutching her blanket._

_"Time for your examination," he said and grabbed her by the arm. She screamed from the pain he caused her, but more from the frightening revelation of the unknown._

_"No!" she screamed. "Please." She cried uncontrollably._

_Remy watched helplessly as the guard man-handled her. "Let her go, merde face chein. (translation: shit-faced dog.)_

_The guard seemed to growl at him as he held Anna Marie by the arms. She squirmed to get loose, but it was no use. The man pointed at him with an intense look of hatred in his eyes. "You're next."_

_Anna Marie continued to scream as the guard stomped down the hallway dragging her little body down the hall. He was too strong for her, and her efforts to get away were in vain. He opened a large metal door with a pass key and took her inside. As soon as they entered she gained enough leverage and bit the man on the arm. He screamed in pain and was startled enough to drop her._

_"You little bitch!" he screamed at her. _

_She got loose and ran for the door, but there was no handle to turn. She futilely beat on the door until she felt a hand grab her arm. He forced her to face him then slapped her hard across the face. She fell to the floor, and he bent down and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a clean white rag and gagged her mouth._

_"That'll keep you puppies from biting," he said and picked her up again. _

_He restrained her arms and legs as he carried her to a metal table. She was still screaming through the gag while trying to kick at him as he put her arms and hands into the restraints. When they were secure he did the same to her legs. When she could no longer struggle she lay there whimpering as tears ran down her face._

_The guard soon walked out of the room leaving the little girl alone. She didn't know what was worse, being alone in a dark room bound and unable to move or having that nasty guard beat on her for resisting him. _

_A silent eeriness filled the air. Anna Marie hated the quiet. It didn't give her anything to focus on and her fears took over, like hearing the voice of the boogie man whispering all the potentially terrible things that could and would happen to her. _

_Suddenly she heard voices outside the large metal door. One was a woman's voice. It was somewhat soothing like her Aunt Irene's, but there was another voice too, a deeper brooding voice that scared her. She looked over and saw the door slowly open as two people entered the room. They were both wearing lab coats. She guessed they were doctors, and she hated to doctors. She hadn't seen one since her aunt had taken her to get her booster shots. It was not a pleasant experience in the least._

_"Nathaniel, this isn't right and you know it," a woman with shoulder length platinum hair and Hassel eyes said. She was small in stature compared to the man next to her. "She's just a child, and Raven Darkholme's child at that. Don't you think she'll retaliate?"_

_"Not hardly, Tess," the man said. Anna Marie couldn't see his face, and she could only faintly hear what they were saying. "And risk being exposed?"_

_"Maybe, but this girl," Tess started to say. "She's not like the others."_

_"Yes, she will one day have great power," Nathaniel said looking over at the little girl strapped down to the table. "A power I will control."_

_"Doctor Essex," Tess said in a stern voice. "You can't…"_

_"I can, and I will," he said, approaching Anna Marie. "Hello, my dear." He stroked her hair gently, but it didn't ease her anxiety. She could finally see the face of the man and cried out even through the gag around her mouth. "There's no need to be afraid. This won't hurt…much."_

_He pulled out a needle and held it up to the light. "Please, Nathanial, don't do this. Can't you see she's afraid?"_

_"Then, calm her," he said. Tess walked over to the other side and stroked Anna Marie's cheek. _

_"Don't worry, sweetie," she said. "Nothing bad will happen. We just need you to calm down." With the woman's touch Anna Marie stopped struggling. "That's right." _

_She closed her eyes as she felt the prick of the needle. Soon, she found it hard to stay awake. Tess had removed the gag from her mouth. "Take this blood sample to the lab for testing," Nathanial instructed Tess as Anna Marie drifted into unconsciousness. "Then bring the boy."_

_Anna Marie's eyes started to flutter open. She looked around to see where she was. She was cold and realized she was still on that ice cold table, but there was something different. The gag was no longer around her mouth, but she felt a slight pain around the edges. _

_She looked over and saw that there was another table several feet away. The boy who occupied the cell next to hers was lying on it. His feet were bound, but he had one hand free, and it looked like he was working on freeing the other._

_She was still frightened but a little more relieved at seeing the boy. "Remy," she whispered over to him. He looked up for a moment and smiled at her. "What are ya doin'?" she asked._

_"Gettin' us outta here," he said and continued his work. "Now, just be quiet."_

_She did as he asked and soon he was out of the restraints. He went straight to work on getting his legs free, which took of all about a minute. He hopped off the table and came towards Anna Marie. _

_"How did ya…?"_

_"Learned de codes from de last time I was in here," he said. "Those scientists are so smart they're dumb."_

_Anna Marie smiled at him as he released the restraints on one of her hands. In watching him she was able to duplicate his actions on the other one, while he released her leg restraints. She sat up with her legs dangling over the side._

_"Come on," Remy said. "We gotta get outta here before dey come back."_

_"Ah can't. It's too high," she said. Even for a five year old she was small. _

_"Don't worry, Anna," he said, holding out his hand out. "I'll help ya down."_

_For some reason she trusted him. She slowly slid off the table but stumbled onto the floor right on top of Remy. "Ah'm, sorry. Ah didn't mean to…"_

_"That's okay, Anna," he said. "You didn't hurt me. Now let's go." He took her hand and made for the door. He was about to punch in a code when the door suddenly opened. _

_A woman came in the doorway, a woman Anna Marie recognized as Tess. She gasped thinking they were caught before they even had a chance to escape, but Remy was prepared._

_"Back off, Chienne," he said, pointing a needle at her. It was attached to a vial with clear liquid in it. "Me and de Petite here are leavin'."_

_"Then go," she said surprisingly. "Hurry, Essex is on his way."_

_"Come on, chere," he said, still holding onto Anna Marie's hand._

_The two kids raced down the hall until they reached a door. "What's in there?" Anna Marie whispered to him._

_"Storage room," Remy said. "Now, come on."_

_Suddenly Anna Marie felt a shadow come over them. She looked up to see the guard that had manhandled her. "There you two brats are," he said. He was about to grab Anna Marie but Remy had stuck the needle in his leg. Almost immediately the large man became weak and fell to the floor. _

_She was about to scream but Remy covered her mouth. "Don' make no noise, or we get caught for sure."_

_"Is he dead?" She whispered to him._

_"Non, just knocked him out. Now come on."_

_He opened the storage room and led Anna Marie inside. He closed the door and reached into his pocket. He had a little mini flashlight. He waved it around and found the loose ceramic floor square and removed it from its place. There laid the tools he had lifted on his many attempted escapes. He picked up a screwdriver and held his flashlight to the air vent on the far side of the small room. He quickly unscrewed it and laid the metal panel against the wall._

_"Come on, Anna, you go first," he said. She hesitated for a moment. She had that frightened look on her face again. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."_

_She nodded and entered the shaft. He soon followed and the two crawled through the air vents looking for a way out. Anna Marie kept going until she reached a pass going in two directions. _

_"Which way?" she whispered back at him. Remy had pulled out a piece of paper. It looked like some kind of map to Anna Marie, but in fact it was a schematic of the building. Remy studied it with his little flashlight illuminating it. _

_"Go left," he said. _

_She followed his instructions and crawled further until they reached a dead end. "Now what?"_

_"See dat vent," he said, pointing to the opening below her. "Dat's where we need ta go."_

_She shifted her position to give him access. He saw the screws on the other side, but he needed to bend the metal on the vent to get to them. He reached into his pocket for a pair of large tweezers. It was hard, but he finally bent the metal enough to get his hand through to get access to the screw that was holding the vent in place. He had already worked the other side on his last escape attempt before he was caught. Finally the screw was out, and he shifted the vent to let them through._

_"See, chere, piece a cake," he said and smiled at her._

_Anna looked down. It was a long jump and the floor below was concrete. It looked very much like a basement, dark and dreary. "How we gonna get down?"_

_"I'll go first," he said. "Den ah'll get de ladder for you."_

_"Okay, Remy, but be careful," she said as he put his legs over the side._

_He angled himself down, holding on by his hands. He looked down to see where the safest place to land would be. There was a pile of debris. It looked soft enough. He swung himself then let go falling on the pile then rolled himself onto the floor. _

_"Remy, ya okay," Anna Marie whispered loudly from the vent opening._

_He picked himself up and dusted himself off as much as he could. The dust in the air made him cough a bit. He looked up to see the concern in his eyes. _

_"I'm okay," he said. "Now, it's your turn." He saw the ladder in the corner and shot himself towards it. It was heavy, but he managed to drag it over to the vent opening. "Okay, now, jus' climb down."_

_Anna Marie took her first step as her little body was shaking. She was slow at first, but with Remy's encouragement she gained the self-confidence to make it all the way down._

_"I knew you could do it," he said, taking her hand. She smiled at him sweetly and brushed away the few strands of white hair that had gotten in her eyes. _

_"Now, where do we go?" she asked._

_"We in de sub-basement," he said. He then pointed to the left. "Dere a sewer grate over dere. We go through dere and'disappear before dey know a t'ing. Simple que cela." (Translation: Simple as that.)_

_"Okay," she said slowly. He led her through the grate and down the iron stairs. She held her nose as the dank smell hit her nostrils. "Yuk! This place smells bad."_

_"It's a sewer. Dey always smell bad. Don' worry, we be outta here in no time." He took her hand and led her down the tunnel._

_"Where we goin'?" she asked as she followed him._

_"De train station," he said. "Got t'get far away, so dey don' catch us. We be safe soon enough."_

_Again she felt as if she could trust this boy. He was the one who calmed her down when she was scared and had freed her from the restraints and took care of the guard who had caught them trying to escape. What she didn't understand was why the woman called Tess let them go. The woman obviously worked for the man who kidnapped her, so why let them escape? So many things she did not understand. First was, why they took her in the first place. _

_Right now she didn't care why. She just wanted to be far away from here as possible. _

_"Come on, chere," Remy said as he stopped by a metal ladder. "De train near here."_

_"How do you know?" she asked._

_"Hear dat rumblin'? An' dat whistle. Only trains make dat sound."_

_"Never thought 'bout it before," she said as he helped her up the ladder. _

_When she reached the top she found the grate was too heavy to move. Remy was right behind her. With his added strength they were able to move it. As she stepped onto the ground she breathed in the air, not the cleanest air, but she didn't know how long it had been since she had been outside. Remy soon joined her. He looked around to see where the entrance to the station was. _

_"Let's go," he said. _

_"How we gonna get on the train without any money?" Anna Marie asked._

_"Don' worry. I got a plan," he said. He went inside pretending he was with a young couple who had just walked in. He looked up at the train schedule and saw the departure times. There it was. A train bound for New Orleans. That was two hours from now. He sneaked out and rejoined Anna Marie. "There's a train leavin' in two hours."_

_"How we gonna get on it with no money?" she asked._

_"Simple, we jump it," he said. _

_Anna Marie looked skeptical. He led her to a clearing that was close to the train station. It took them close to an hour to get there. She sat on the grass pulling at the blades in boredom. He sat down next to her, noticing for the first time the bruise on her face._

_"Dey do dat ta you?" he asked, pointing to the bruise on her cheek._

_She put a hand over the bruise, embarrassed for him to see it. "Yeah, that guard did it… after ah kinda bit him."_

_"You bit that guy," Remy said chuckling. "Good, dat bastard deserve it."_

_The thought made her smile. Then her voice became sullen when he asked, "Why ya save me?"_

_"Why not? Saved myself too," he said as he looked down the train track to see if anything was coming._

_"Ya could have escaped on your own," she said. "Ah was only slowin' ya down."_

_"Didn't wanna leave you there, dat's all," he said. "Had a dream 'bout a girl like you. She begged me ta help her, not leave her there. Den I saw you an' I knew you was dat girl."_

_"Ya had a dream 'bout me?" Anna Marie asked, astonished by his words. "I had a dream 'bout you too, an angel with demon eyes."_

_"I ain't no angel," he said. "Jus' some poor orphan. Dat's why dey took me. Ain't nobody gonna miss some street kid wid no home."_

_"Ya ain't gotta home?" Anna Marie asked. "Ah thought every kid had a home."_

_"Naw, ain't never had one. My parents dumped me when I was a baby. Lived in an orphanage for a while, but I ran away. Nobody want a kid wid demon eyes. Dey say I was evil."_

_"They're wrong. Ya saved me. Can't be all bad if ya do that."_

_"You got a home?" he asked._

_"Yeah, with Momma and Auntie Re. Don't gotta a Daddy. Momma said he left when ah was a baby."_

_"Sorry 'bout dat. Must be worried about you. Where you live anyway?"_

_"Mississippi," she said as best she could. "A little house by a pond. Get to go swimmin' there sometimes. Ah miss it."_

_"We'll find a way ta get you back dere," he said, putting his hand over hers and padding it gently. "'til den ah'll take care a you."_

_"How ya gonna do that?" she asked._

_"Trust me," he said. "Just like I got you outta dat place."_

_She nodded in agreement. Somehow she knew this boy wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. She heard a noise, almost like thunder and looked up. She didn't see anything yet, but Remy got up off the ground. He looked down at her offering his hand._

_"Train's comin' soon. Gotta be ready. Timin's gotta be jus' right."_

_Anna Marie stayed close to Remy. He led her behind a nearby tree. "Dey always lookin' out for jumpers, so stay hidden. We gonna jump in one of the box cars."_

_"While the train still movin'?"_

_"Yeah, we hide in one of dose until de next stop," he said. "Don' worry, I done dis plenty a times."_

_"Okay," Anna Marie said. She was scared of doing this, but it was kind of exciting. She had only seen it done in movies but never thought to try it herself._

_The train was coming by. Car after car passed. Remy tugged a little on Anna Marie's arm. She ran with him as he spotted an open box car. "Right there!" he said loudly over the noise of the train. "On three we jump, okay." She nodded in agreement. "One…Two…Three…"_

_Anna Marie followed suit and jumped with Remy. Her little voice let out a scream. They barely made it into the boxcar, the impact of the moving train rolling their bodies to the far side the box car. Remy struggled to get the door of the boxcar to close it, but with the wind produced from the fast moving train it was hard. Anna Marie crawled over to the door to help, but it was no use. They were not strong enough. Suddenly they felt themselves going downhill and the door slammed shut. Remy quickly latched it. _

_Anna Marie was on the floor of the boxcar trying to catch her breath when Remy looked over at her. "That was fun," Remy said and laughed._

_"Think so," Anna Marie said and laughed as well._

Suddenly Rogue awakened to see two laughing children playing paddy cake, neither couldn't have been more than six years old. She realized she had had that dream again, the dream about the angel boy with the demon eyes. She had had many dreams of him over the years. In some dreams he was older, but she hadn't dreamed of him as a child for a long time. Was it really a dream? She wondered as she touched the butterfly necklace. He was as real to her as her precious necklace. She lay back again still feeling sleepy hoping he would come to her dreams again.

**There was actually more to this chapter but since it's so long I'm splitting it up. More flashbacks in the next chapter. Plus, I'm not sure if the translations are just right, since I don' t speak a lot of French. So if they off please don't beat me up. Please review and tell me what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4: Gift Of Friendship

**Finally got this chapter typed up and ready to go. I would have had this up yesterday, but somehow the site screwed up and wouldn't let me up load anything. Oh, well, here it is. I hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter Four: Gift of Friendship**

Rogue looked out the window. She was tired and somewhat bored. She thought about the last time she had been to Louisiana, or had she? When she was a child it was easy for her mother and aunt to convince her it was all a dream, but she had so many doubts about that now.

Sleep was overtaking her again. Her mind drifted back to that boy and things that may have truly happened.

_"Anna!" Remy shouted over the noise of the train. "Get ready to jump. Our stop is coming up." Anna Marie had that frightened look on her face. "Don' worry. It'll be okay." _

_Anna Marie inched over to the opening of the boxcar. "On three?" she questioned. _

_"Yeah!" he shouted back. He slowly counted. When he got to three they both jumped giving a yelp as they hit the ground. Anna Marie rolled a few times before coming to a stop. She lay there still on the grass as Remy looked up from the ground. He crawled over to her, a worried look on his face. "Anna, you okay?" he asked._

_Suddenly she turned over laughing. "That was fun. Let's do it again."_

_He looked annoyed but not angry as he started to tickle her. She laughed so hard she thought she was going to throw up. He soon stopped and helped her up to a sitting position._

_"So, where we go now?" Anna Marie asked._

_"'Nawlins," he said. "Dat's where I'm from. Mardi Gras startin' soon."_

_"Really? Only seen it on T.V.," Anna said excitedly. "Never been to a real one."_

_"Den, come on. It like one big ole party," he said, taking her hand. They ran across the field together heading for the city._

_Upon reaching the city, Anna Marie could hear the sounds of music and people laughing and cheering. She was more excited than ever. Remy led her down the main street to behold the beautiful floats that passed by. They had just arrived in time for the parade, and it sent the biggest smile on Anna Marie's face. They watched a few floats go by, but suddenly Anna Marie started to feel lightheaded. _

_"Somethin' wrong?" Remy asked._

_"No, ah think ah'm just hungry is all," she said. _

_"Then we'll have ta get somethin' ta eat," he said. "Come on." He led her into the park where he found an empty bench. "Jus' sit here an' I'll be right back."_

_"Where ya goin'?" she asked. She didn't like the thought very much of being in a strange city all alone._

_"Ta get us some food," he said. "Jus' stay here out of sight. I promise I'll be back soon."_

_"Okay," she said. _

_The bench she was sitting on was in a secluded place, but she was still able to see the parade from where she was sitting. After about a half hour she was getting concerned. Had Remy abandoned her? The thought frightened her, but she still waited patiently for him to return._

_After another fifteen minutes she saw a figure approaching. She got up off the bench and ran behind a nearby tree. She peeked out slowly from her hiding place and saw Remy's figure approaching the bench she had been sitting on. _

_"Anna," he called out._

_She was relieved that it was him and not some stranger. She came out behind the tree. She felt a little foolish, but after all she had been through lately she had become just a little paranoid._

_"I got us some food," Remy said. She sat down on the bench as Remy handed her a sandwich. "Careful, it's hot."_

_She unwrapped it and let the cool air of the night take some of the heat off. Then she took a nice big bite. "This is good," she said after swallowing it. _

_He handed her a soda to wash it down. She finished off her sandwich in no time and drank the rest of her soda. "Are you full?" he asked her after she was finished._

_"Yeah, ah guess so," Anna Marie said wiping her mouth off with a napkin Remy handed her._

_"That's too bad, 'cause I got us some dessert too," he said._

_Her eyes grew wide as she found that her appetite was returning. "What ya get?" she asked._

_"Jus' some King Cake," he said and showed her a brown paper bag. She could practically smell it._

_"Ah never had it before," she said, "but it smells good."_

_"It _is_ good, Anna. You'll like it." He took the tasty morsel out of the bag and handed her a piece. She took a small bite, just in case she didn't like it, but she found that it was quite tasty and soon devoured it._

_"So what do you want to do now?" Anna Marie asked him._

_"Let's go check out the carnival," Remy said. "It's just across the park."_

_"Okay," she said. "Ah just have one question." Remy looked confused as Anna Marie spoke again. "Where'd ya get the money for the food?"_

_"I got my ways, petite," was all he would say. She looked skeptical as he took her hand and led her across the park._

_They walked down the walkway seeing different vendors selling things, games of all kinds. They were all shouting for customers or rather victims. Most games were a scam, but Anna Marie was dying to try one._

_"Hey, little lady," a street vendor called to her. "Knock three down and win a prize."_

_"Sounds easy enough," she said as they stopped. There were three colored blocks forming a triangle._

_"Wanna try it, petite?" Remy asked her._

_"Well, ah'm not very good at throwin'. Can't even win at that claw game."_

_"Den I'll win ya somt'ing," Remy said proudly. "Remy real good at games."_

_"Okay," she said._

_The vendor handed him a ball. Remy sized up the distance between himself and the three blocks. He slowly threw is arm back and released the ball. In one shot he knocked down all three blocks. In her excitement, Anna Marie jumped up and down and threw her arms around Remy._

_"You did it," she squealed._

_"Did you doubt that I would?" he asked as she let go of him._

_"Well, maybe just a little," she said. "So what we win?"_

_"Take your pick," the man said._

_"You choose, Anna," Remy said._

_"Are ya sure?" she asked and he nodded. There were three different choices: a stuffed bear, a slingshot or a butterfly necklace. Once she laid her eyes on the necklace her eyes lit up. It seemed to sparkle until it was the only thing she could see. "That one," she said, pointing to the necklace._

_"Nice choice, little lady," the man said._

_She couldn't wait to put it on. Remy helped her with the task. She turned around to face him. "How does it look?" she asked._

_"It looks nice on you," he said as she gave him a big smile. "Promise me you'll never take it off."_

_"Ah promise," she said as he took her hand. They walked down the street together. Anna Marie turned away and yawned. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept._

_"You tired, petite," Remy asked her._

_"Yeah, ah guess so," she said. "Where we gonna sleep?"_

_"We'll find a place, but first we need some money."_

_"How we gonna get it?" she asked._

_"Like I said, I got ways," he said. He went down a back alley that led right into Bourbon Street. "You stay here… out of sight, okay."_

_She nodded in agreement. Remy sneaked out of the shadows and scanned the area waiting for an opening. A few people passed by. He sandwiched himself in between two people. There he saw it. There was a tall man passing by with his wallet hanging out partially from his pocket. This would be easy. He reached for it, but as soon as he touched it he felt someone grab his arm. He was caught._

_Remy felt himself being pulled into the alley. The man he had just tried to steal from looked straight into his eyes. "Anyone ever tell you, boy, never steal from a t'ief?"_

_"You gonna call de cops?" he asked the man in a shaky voice._

_The man laughed at him. "What your name, boy?"_

_"Remy," he said still shaking. Anna Marie witnessed the whole thing from her hiding place behind the dumpster._

_The man looked over seeing the little girl peeking out from the corners. "An' who dis?"_

_"Oh, dat's my sister, Anna Marie," Remy said._

_"Where your parents?" he asked._

_"Don' got none," Remy said. "Me an' Anna just got inta town tonight. Needed money for a place ta stay, so I…"_

_"T'ought you go t'ievin', huh?" the man said. He shook his head._

_Anna Marie was afraid of what the man might do and ran up behind Remy. "Please don't hurt him. He didn't mean no harm, really."_

_He squatted down and saw the tears in the little girl's eyes._

_"No harm done," he said. "You two come on home wid me. Give you a nice warm bed and plenty ta eat. What you say?"_

_They both nodded as the man led them out of the alley. He led them to a car two blocks down. He opened the back seat for them. Remy helped Anna Marie in first then got in himself. Within minutes Anna Marie was asleep._

_Sometime later she woke up to find herself in a nice room lying in a warm soft bed. She wiped the sleep from her eyes. At first thinking that she was at home in her own room, but when she looked around at all the grand furniture and freshly painted walls of yellow and cream. Even the rose colored carpet looked brand new. She realized that this was not her room._

_Suddenly she heard the sound of a woman ranting outside the door. She heard a creak and realized the door was slowly opening to reveal a middle aged woman with long dark braids. Anna Marie was scared at first, as she clutched onto the quilt on the bed, but the woman only smiled at her as she carried a tray of food._

_"An' how are you dis mornin'?" the woman asked. "Must be hungry by now. Done slept de mornin' away." Anna saw the clock on the wall that read 10:10. She never in her life slept this late._

_She eyed the scrumptious breakfast before her and said, "Ah _am_ hungry, but…" She thought for a moment. "Where am ah?"_

_"De LaBeau estate," the woman said. "Jean-Luc brought you two home last night. Don' you remember, chile?"_

_"Yeah, ah think so," Anna Marie said. "Who are you?"_

_"Dey call me Tante Mattie. I take care a all de children here," she said placing the tray in front of her. Anna Marie dug in without a second to loose. "You eat all dat up. No leaftover. Hear?"_

_"Yes, ma'am," Anna Marie said. "Where's Remy?" she asked. "He okay?"_

_"He's fine. He out playin' wid de boys. You can go out after you finish your breakfast. Dere's some clothes in de bottom drawer dat should fit you. Been long time since we had a little girl in de house."_

_Tante Mattie left the room while Anna Marie finished her breakfast. She was still wearing her butterfly necklace, the one that Remy had won for her. She looked out the window to see Remy playing with the other boys. She was anxious to be out there with them. She quickly ran over to the dresser and opened the drawer. She found some t-shirts and shorts and there was a pair of green sandals with a flower print sitting by the closet door._

_She picked out a dark green T-shirt with butterflies printed on it. It would go well with her necklace and a plain pair of black shorts. She put on the sandals and went in search of the bathroom. She found that she had a private bathroom that was on the adjacent side of the closet. _

_When she was finished she was about to take her tray down to the kitchen, assuming she could find it, but before she could leave the room there was a knock at the door. _

_"Anna," the sweet voice of a woman called out. _

_The woman entered and Anna Marie was mesmerized. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She had long brown hair slightly curled and deep brown eyes. She was a thin, small-framed woman wearing a flower print sundress and white sandals with a slight heel._

_Anna Marie stood there silently as the woman approached. "I see you finished your breakfast," the woman said smiling at her. "I guess you want to go out and pay with the boys."_

_"That would be nice," Anna Marie said, a little nervous. "Ah was about to go look for the kitchen ta take my plate."_

_"Oh, don't worry about that," she said. "You go on and play until lunch time. I'm Marianna LaBeau by the way. Oh, and don't worry you're safe here."_

_Marianne led Anna Marie down the stairs and out to the backyard. She saw the boys playing ball and couldn't wait to join in. "Hey, boys," she said. Remy was the first one to look up. He had a big smile on his face at seeing her._

_"Hi, Anna," he said, walking up to her. "T'ought you were never gonna wake up."_

_"Well, ah'm here now. So what are we playin'?"_

_"We don't play wid girls," one of the boys said. He was a few inches taller than Anna Marie and she assumed a few years older._

_"Henri, don't be so mean," another one said. He was small statured about Anna Marie 's age. He had the ball in his hand, which was quickly snatched away by Henri._

_"Stay outta dis, Emil," Henri said. "You know de rules."_

_"Then maybe ya should write some new ones," Anna Marie said. There was a slight snarl in her voice._

_"Don' need to," Henri said, meeting her face to face. "Everybody know dat girls are sissies. Ya knock 'em down an' de cry. Ain't dat right, Theo?"_

_"Sometimes, Henri, but remember when Julien beat on you. Ya moaned for weeks it hurt so bad," Theo said with a smirk._

_"Shut up!" Henri yelled at him. "Data ain't de way it happened."_

_"I was dere," Theo said, contradicting him. "I saw de whole t'ing, so did Entienne and Emil."_

_"Shut up!" he said louder, slamming the ball to the ground. _

_Anna Marie was laughing at the amusing story. She quickly picked up the ball and started dribbling it. "So, we gonna play or what?"_

_"I'm in," Remy said. _

_"Me too," Emil added. "I don't mind playin' wid a girl, 'specially one as pretty as you."_

_"Don't be cute," Anna Marie said. "Or ah'll wipe the floor with ya."_

_"Let's just all shut up and play some dodge ball," Theo said._

_"She can't play," Henri chimed in, "not wid dat stupid t'ing around her neck. She gonna have ta take it off."_

_"Ah will not," Anna Marie fired at him. "Remy gave it to me as a present, won it from one of the game vendors in town."_

_"Ohhh," Henri said teasing. "Did ya now. I guess she Remy's little girlfriend." The rest of the boys made hollering sounds and cat calls, while Henri pantomimed by kissing the air. "Remy and Anna…" he started to say in a sing-song voice._

_"Shut up!" Remy shouted at them. "Anna's my sister."_

_"Yeah, right," Henri said. "Is dat the de lie you told pere. He don' believe dat for a moment."_

_"You're right," Anna Marie said. "He ain't my brother, but ah can still beat ya at dodge ball."_

_"I doubt dat," Henri said, "but bring it on, petite fille. Let's see what ya got."_

_Anna Marie took her stance and threw the ball. Henri barely dodged it as he threw himself to the ground and rolled a few times, before getting back up again. She was not impressed by his antics._

_The game continued with Anna Marie outing both Emil and Entienne, while Henri on an attempt to out her hit Theo instead. It was down to three and Anna Marie had the ball. It was either Remy or Henri. She threw the ball towards the two boys, Remy diving out of the way as Henri was hit. _

_"You're out!" she shouted, pointing at Henri. _

_He gave her a nasty look as he walked over to sit in the losers' circle, or a wooden picnic table in this case. _

_"So, it's down to you and me, Anna," Remy said. "Wanna call it a tie?"_

_"No way, Cajun boy. Give it your best shot." On her command he threw the ball. Anna tried to get out of the way, but it hit her on the side of the leg. "Ah guess you win."_

_"You okay?" Remy asked her. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"_

_"No, ah'm fine," she said._

_"Ha! Ha! You lost," Henri teased while pointing at her._

_She walked straight up to him. "Well, at least ah lasted longer than you did."_

_"Wanna a rematch?" Henri asked, picking up the ball and twirling it with his finger._

_"Give it a rest, Henri," Theo said. "So what a girl kicked your butt. It wouldn't be the first time. Remember that time Belladonna challenged you to a race across de swamp, and you fell in and…"_

_"SHUT UP!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Anna Marie started laughing and soon all the boys, except for Henri that is was laughing too._

_"Dat was a good game," Theo looked over at Anna Marie and said._

_Suddenly the boys saw Tante Mattie and Henri's mother Marianne come through the kitchen door. "Ah hope ya boys worked up an appetite, 'cause we got a nice big lunch for ya."_

_The boys were more than willing to forfeit another game if it meant a feast would take its place. The boys followed Tante Mattie, and Anna Marie was about to join them when Marianne came up to her. _

_"Anna, I need you to come with me," Marianne said._

_"Okay," she said. Then she had a worried look on her face. "Am ah in trouble?"_

_"Oh, no, dear," Marianne said and took the little girl's hand._

_Marianne led her into the house and down a hallway to a pair of double doors. Once inside, Anna Marie looked up to see a woman. Excitement filled the little girl as she ran towards her._

_"Momma!" she shouted excitedly as the woman embraced her. "Oh, Momma, ah thought ah'd never see you again."_

_"It's alright, Anna," her mother said. "I'm going to take you home now."_

_"Really? We gonin' home?" she asked as if not believing her mother's words._

_"Of course, dear, Aunt Irene is waiting in the car," her mother said. "We're all going home together."_

_"What about Remy? What will happen to him?" Anna Marie looked up at Marianne who was standing next to Jean-Luc, the man who had stumbled onto them the night before._

_"Don't worry about Remy," Marianne said in a soft voice. "He's going to stay here with us."_

_"Then he'll have a home too?" Anna Marie asked. Marianne nodded with a smile. "That's good, ain't it ,Momma?" _

_"Yes, dear," her mother simply said._

_"Then can we come and visit sometime?" Anna Marie asked in a hopeful voice._

_"Maybe." her mother said. "But for now we have to get going. We have a train to catch."_

_"Okay, but can ah say goodbye to Remy first?" she asked. Her mother was silent at first. "Please, ah owe him for savin' me from that bad man."_

_"Sure, Anna, but hurry," her mother said._

_"The boys are in the dining room eating lunch," Marianne said. "Don't worry, I'll take her."_

_Marianne took Anna's hand and led her into the dining room. When Remy spotted her his eyes lit up. "Come and sit next to me, Anna."_

_She made her way over to Remy's chair. "Sorry, Remy, but ah can't."_

_"Why?" he asked._

_"My momma and Aunt Irene's here t'take me home."_

_"So, you're leavin'?" he asked with a disappointed look on his face._

_"Yeah, but ah'll come back an' visit. Ah promise."_

_"I'll miss you, Anna," he said._

Suddenly Rogue was pulled out of her sleep. The bus had stopped. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and saw the driver coming towards her. "This is the last stop, Miss."

"Oh, ah'm sorry," Rogue said, "must have fallen asleep." She grabbed her bag and quickly made her way to the door. "Hello, New Orleans," she said softly to no one but herself.

**That's the end of this chapter. Be here next time to see what trouble Rogue gets into when she runs into a certain assassin. Will this be the end of Rogue, or will someone come to her rescue? Just a little teaser for next time. Please, review and let me know what you think. **


	5. Chapter 5:Never Judge By 1st Appearances

**Finally I got this chapter ready. Here it is, Rogue and Gambit's "first meeting"? Well kind of. I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Chapter Five: Never Judge by First Appearances**

Rogue walked the streets of New Orleans aimlessly. She didn't know where she was going and nor did she care. She did feel the pangs of hunger start to creep up on her, so she went looking for a place to eat. She turned down the next street and found a quaint little place. She entered. It wasn't much to look at, but she sat down at one of the tables and picked up a menu.

It had been a long time since she had any real Cajun food, and she thought a big bowl of Jambalaya would hit the spot. The waiter came over promptly and took her order.

She just sat there for a while, taking in the atmosphere. It wasn't a class establishment, but it was clean, simply decorated, but there were no pictures on the walls and it was painted a drab yellow. She noticed some guys were sitting at the bar. One looked her way then turned back. He was saying something to one of his friends, but she couldn't hear what it was. Then laughter came out of all three of the guys. She wondered if they were laughing about her. She didn't care. All she wanted was to be left alone.

Soon her food came, and she dug in. she hadn't realized how hungry she really was until now. She soon made short work of her meal, washing it down with a glass of iced tea. That's when one of the guys from the bar approached her table.

"Hey, sweet t'ing," he said, leaning his hand on her chair. Rogue didn't answer him, hoping he would just go away. "What? Can't talk?" Still she said nothing. This guy was making her nervous and in a bad way. "My name's Julien. What's yours?"

"None of your business," she said, as she wiped her face with a napkin.

"Ah, come on, chere, don' be like dat. I don' bite…not unless you want me to."

"Would you just go away and leave me alone!" she shouted at him. Some guys just wouldn't take a hint. She got up out of her chair and started to leave when he grabbed her arm.

"Ain't no fille in dis town turn me down," Julien said, with a gleam in his eye that gave her an uneasy feeling. "Remember dat!"

She snatched her arm back, releasing herself from his grasp. She heard his buddies over at the bar laughing and making snide comments. She just ignored them and went on her way.

She walked down several streets, not really paying attention to what was going on around her. She was so pissed off at that guy's idle threat. What was he going to do? He couldn't touch her, not without her powers kicking in, and something told her she didn't want that guy's thoughts swimming around in her head.

The sun had gone down hours ago making the sky unusually dark. Suddenly Rogue was aware of every little sound. The streets were barren that night. If she heard the sounds of people, cars or the usual noise of the city she wouldn't have been so paranoid of the somewhat deafening silence.

She turned down a side street when she felt that someone was following her. She kept going trying to ignore the feeling. Suddenly she heard a noise, like the click of metal. She turned looking around but saw nothing. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She closed her eyes for just a second. Before she knew what was happening she felt something or someone grab her from behind. She tried to scream but whoever grabbed her had gloves on. Damn, she couldn't even knock him out with her power.

She tried to scream but she attacker's hand was so tight around her mouth she thought she would pass out. She struggled to get out of the embrace that held her. With her legs free she rammed the back of her foot into her assailant's groin. She was freed momentarily and tried desperately to catch her breath. Stumbling to stay on her feet she grabbed onto the side of the building looking back briefly to see her attacker. She quickly took off her glove as he raised his head to look her in the eye.

"You!" she said angrily. "How dare you attack me!"

"How dare you blow me off!" he shouted at her. It was Julien, that asshole from the dive restaurant. He quickly pinned her to the wall before she had a chance to react. "I'll show you what happens to filles dat reject me."

"And ah'll show ya what happens to losers who manhandle young women," she shouted at him while struggling to break free.

"Shut up!" he shouted and slapped her across the face. This only made her angrier and with her legs free she kicked him in the midsection.

Julien fell to the ground writhing in pain. "Damn you," he said and grabbed her leg, making her lose her balance and fall to the ground. "You gonna pay for dat."

"Hey, Julien, ain't nobody tell you dat no way ta treat a belle femme?"

Rogue looked up to see a shadowed figure with glowing red orbs. The sight scared her more than being attacked by Julien. She would fix that soon enough.

"Stay out a dis, LaBeau," Julien shouted while still holding Rogue down.

"Let 'er go, now," he said, coming closer to them.

At that moment Rogue managed to get her ungloved hand free and touched Julien's face. She hated to resort to using her powers, but he gave her no choice. Julien let out a yell before losing consciousness. Rogue slid herself out from under him, while trying desperately to catch her breath.

The stranger walked up to her and looked over where Julien lay. "Out cold," he said, and then drew his attention towards Rogue. She could see his face clearly now. It was a handsome, rugged face, but there still was a certain amount of gentleness. His red on black eyes were no longer frightening, more intriguing.

_Ah know those eyes,_ she thought to herself, but she couldn't place where.

"You alright, Chere?" he asked. "He didn't hurt ya, did he?"

"No, not really," she said as he helped her up. She noticed for the first time his black t-shirt and black leather pants and the worn old brown trench coat he wore. He looked like some kind of hood, but why would he try to help her? Well, unless he wanted the same exact thing from her that unconscious thug lying in the alleyway wanted. "What do you care?" she asked sharply, becoming defensive.

She had images running through her head. She realized that guy was no ordinary thug. He was a trained killer.

"Just don't wanna see a _belle femme_ like yourself become his next victim," he said. "So you mind telling me what you done to him."

"Don't know what you're talkin' about," Rogue said, picking up her bag and attempting to flee the alley.

He grabbed her arm, but gently. "I know you done somethin' to him," he said. "You gonna make dis easy and tell me what it is?"

"Let go a me, Gambit," she said defiantly. Where did that name come from? She wondered, only one place, Julien's memories. So he knew this guy. He looked at her surprised, which was no wonder to her.

"How you know dat name?" he asked, as she snatched her arm back. She walked swiftly away from him, but suddenly he was in front of her blocking her way. He was holding some kind of pole in his hands and twirled it twice before planting it in the sidewalk and leaning on it slightly.

"How you do that?" she asked.

"You got your secrets, Chere, an' I got mine," he said. She attempted to get away from him, but he matched her step to step.

"Would you go away and leave me alone?" she snapped. "Bad enough ah had one stalker tonight. Don't need another one."

"Non, Remy no stalker, just thought you need a bodyguard."

She looked up at him just then, fire in her emerald green eyes. "Ah can take care of myself, thank you."

"Don' look like it to me," he said, backing her up against one of the buildings she was attempting to pass. "Dat guy, Julien, I know what he was plannin' to do, but Remy don' be like dat. Dis a dangerous city. Not safe for femmes ta go walkin' alone."

"Like ah said," she said, pushing him away from her. "Ah can take care of myself."

She walked off a few feet away from him. She could hear his laugher in the distance. "Sure, you can," he said. She turned back for a second and realized that he had disappeared. He was right about one thing. It was too late at night to be walking around. She would have to find some place to stay.

Somehow she knew exactly where the closest hotel was. It was in Julien's memories that she absorbed, but so was his attitude. She felt bad for the way she treated that guy Remy, that's what he called himself, but in Julien's memory she had picked up the name Gambit. They were sworn enemies. That much she knew.

She had knocked Julien out and Remy knew it, but she couldn't tell him how she did it. That would have been revealing too much, and she didn't want Remy to think ill of her. She didn't know why she cared so much. She was in a way on the run and didn't want to make ties with anyone.

Finally she came to a small establishment. It wasn't fancy, but hopefully they had a vacancy. She just wanted a nice soft warm bed and a hot shower. Then tomorrow she could decide where to go from here.

She entered the lobby, or what she thought would pass for a lobby. It was a simple and small room, with white washed walls and basic block tiles on the floor, no carpeting. The front desk looked like it had not been painted in a while.

"Ya wanna room?" the man behind the counter askd before Rogue had the chance to speak.

"That would be nice," she said in a sarcastic tone.

"We got a few vacancies," he said, "but ah need ta see the cash first."

"Sure," Rogue said. "No problem." She reached into her bag and took out a few bills. "This enough?" She had two hundred dollars waving in the guy's face.

"Yeah," the man said. "Nice doin' business with ya."

He handed her the room key and directed her to the last door down the hall. She walked in and took in her surroundings. It was an adequate room. The walls were painted a pale cream to slightly contrast the beige carpet and off white furniture that consisted of the dresser chest, bed and nightstand. There wasn't anything unique that stood out. It was a plain design of painted wood that worked more for durability than character.

She quickly closed the door and walked over to the bed and plopped down on it. She was exhausted and her bones were stiff from sitting on that bus for hours, but she wouldn't be able to relax until she took a shower to relax her muscles. Then she thought that a nice hot bath would do the trick. She get up and walked over to the bathroom door and opened it. There was a tub, but it was small. She grabbed her bag and walked into the bathroom and turned on the water. She was happy to find a bottle of bubble bath and poured it into the tub and got undressed.

Slipping into that tub was the best feeling she had in days. She forgot about everything. The night of the party was just some weird nightmare she had. This feeling of warm was the only thing that was real. She didn't know how long she had been in that tub, but she was starting to drift off. Besides that, the water was starting to get cold.

She reluctantly dragged herself out of the tub and dried herself off with one the towels she found hanging on the rack. She used another one for her hair. She left home in such a hurry that she didn't even think of taking her hairdryer or any other personal items. She towel dried her hair as much as possible and combed out her hair with a small comb that she always carried in her purse.

She put on her nightshirt and walked over to the bed, laying her bag next to the nightstand. She crawled under the sheets with the only thought in her head was of a good night's sleep.

Back in the lobby of the hotel, the night clerk looked up from his desk to see a young man enter through the front door. He looked surprised and stood up from his chair to greet him.

"Remy LaBeau, what are ya doin' here this time a night?" he asked in surprise. "Business slow?"

"Hey, Lucas, can't Remy jus' come for a visit?" he asked. His eyes carefully scanned the area. "Gotta ask a favor."

Lucas didn't look happy by the request. "Remy, I gotta deal goin' with the Theives Guild. Ya ain't here ta shake me down for more money, 'cause if ya are ah'll take it up with Jean Luc."

"Ain't not'ing like dat, Lucas," Remy said, trying to reassure him. "Dis one's personal." Lucas looked intrigued. "I saw a young woman come in here not too long ago. She get a room?"

"There was a girl came in not too long ago," Lucas said. "Paid cash up front."

"How much?" Remy asked, looking him straight in the eye.

"A hundred," Lucas said, but looked away from Remy steel gaze.

"You lyin', Lucas," Remy said. "How much she give you?"

Lucas saw Remy pull out a card. His eyes grew wide with fright as the card started to glow bright. "Okay, okay, two hundred."

The light from the card slowly died down until it fizzled out. "Dat's better," Remy said. "Now give me three hundred."

"Three hundred," Lucas said sharply. "Why?"

"Two hundred belongs ta dat girl, and anot'er hundred for lyin' ta me."

"Remy, come on," Lucas pleaded. "Ah'm tryin' ta run a business here, and it's been slow. That's the first real customer ah had all night."

"Not my problem, Lucas, now hand the money over, or you're gonna be payin' for improvements."

"Fine," Lucas said and stomped behind the counter to the hidden cash box. He pulled out three hundred dollar bills and handed them to Remy.

"Where's her room?" Remy asked.

"At the end of the hall," Lucas said.

"Nice doin' business wid you," Remy said as he started to walk towards the hallway. "Oh, and, Lucas, as long as dat girl stayin' here she stays for free."

"Sure, Remy, whatever ya say."

Remy walked off down the hallway to Rogue's room. He had a master key that he had gotten off of Lucas months ago. He quietly unlocked the door and let himself in.

The room was dark, but he could see just fine. There she was fast asleep. He approached her with caution. Looking at her made his heart skip a beat. She truly was an angel. He stroked her hair gently which caused her to stir slightly. Damn, she was beautiful. She turned over on her side facing him moaning slightly in her sleep. Oh, how he wished he was the one who had made her make that sound. To him it was like an angel singing.

He looked around just then to see where he could put the money, where she would be sure to find it, but a place not too obvious. There, she had a backpack. He picked it up and rifled through it. He found a small box and opened it. He found that it was full of cash. This girl must not have been a typical runaway, not carrying a stash like that, but she was young, no more that sixteen he would guess. Whatever sent her running must have been bad. After what happened with Julien any other teenage girl would have been on the first bus home, but something told him she was anything but typical. Something inside him wanted to protect this girl, but he didn't know why.

He put the box away after placing the money inside. He was about to leave when he heard her whimper in her sleep.

"No, don't touch me," she mumbled in her sleep. He looked back to see a look of fear on her semiconscious face. He walked back over to her. He knew any second she could wake up, and he would be caught. She would probably scream seeing a strange guy hovering over her, but he couldn't stand to see her having a nightmare, not if he could do something to sooth her anxiety. "No, please, don't," she whispered in her sleep. He wondered about what awful thing could have happened to her.

His half-gloved hand brushed slightly against her face, the skin of his small finger barely touching her. Some sort of static electricity passed through him, making him suddenly weak. What had just happened? Damn, it must have been the same thing that happened to Julien when they were in the alley. He didn't know what it was, but one thing was for certain, this girl was like him, a mutant.

That was another reason for him to take on the task of protecting her. If either the Thieves or Assassins got their hands on her, he knew the outcome wouldn't be good.

He staggered to the door, careful not to make any noise. "I'll be seein' ya, Chere," he whispered as he closed the door behind him. He walked back to the lobby to see Lucas look up from his newspaper and look straight at him.

"She didn't see you, did she?" Lucas asked him as he leaned against the counter. "Didn't hear no screamin' comin' from down the hall."

"Naw, she was asleep," Remy said, looking back towards her room. He looked over at Lucas with a serious look on his face. "You gotta do me anot'er favor, Lucas."

"Awe no, Remy," he protested. "You done near took all my profit for tonight. What you expect me ta live on?"

"You do dis, I'll see you're takin' care of," Remy said, slowly getting his strength back.

"Alright, what ya want me ta do?" he asked, letting out a deep sigh.

"Just keep an eye on her. Let me know when she leave and try ta find out where she go. You know ta contact me."

"Fine with me, Remy, but what that girl ta you? Or should ah ask?"

"Just do it, Lucas," Remy said as he reached the door. "Anyt'ing happens ta her, it's your hind." With that he walked out into the night, the only thought in his head was her, a girl he didn't even know the name of.

**That's it for this chapter. Please, review and tell me what you think. The next chapter is coming soon. **


	6. Chapter 6: The Trouble With Assassins

**Sorry about the long wait. It took a while to get this chapter together, but here it is. I hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter Six: The Trouble with Assassins**

The next morning Rogue woke up early. She had a strange feeling that someone else was in her room the night before. There was a strange sent in the air of old spice and cigarettes. Suddenly she had a craving for one, which didn't make sense because she didn't even smoke. She shrugged it off into as paranoia and grabbed her bag to search for a change of clothes. She dug through it and noticed something funny about the cash box she had gotten from Tarra. The lid was little crooked. She opened it quickly thinking that maybe someone tried to rob her. She quickly counted the money. There should have been a little over $1200, but when she counted it there was over $1500.

_How the hell did that happen?_ She wondered.

Maybe she had miscounted, so she counted it again, three different times but got the same amount. She put the money back and grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom. She quickly took a shower but soon felt the pangs of hunger. She was anxious to get some breakfast.

She changed her clothes, dried her hair and put it up in a ponytail. She put her jacket on and reached into her pocket for her room key. She pulled it out along with her necklace which was damaged the night before in the fight with Julien. _Damn him_, she thought to herself. She studied it for a moment. It was mostly intact, only the clasp was broken. She would find some way to fix it. It was funny to her that a worthless piece of metal would mean so much.

She put it back in her pocket and picked up her bag and walked out the door. She made sure the door was securely locked before she left. She walked down to the lobby to find a young woman sitting at the desk. She hadn't seen this girl before and approached her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Rogue said as the young woman looked up. "Do you know where ah can get a good breakfast?"

"Sure, there's a diner down the street, just take a left and keep walking. "It's called Mercy's Diner. The woman who runs it is really nice."

"Thank ya," Rogue said before taking off.

Suddenly a man came into the lobby from a back room marked private. "Who was that who just left?"

"Just one of the guests, Lucas," the girl said.

"Tilly, ah gotta know who it was," Lucas said, looking anxious.

"Just the girl in room at the end of the hall, had a strange white streak in her hair."

"She say where she was goin'?"

"Just breakfast," Tilly said, tossing her dark red hair over her shoulders. A few of her tight curls fell back into her face, so she tucked them back. "I sent her to Mercy's. Poor girl looked starved."

"Thanks, Tilly, that's all I needed to know," he said.

Lucas disappeared back into the room he came out of. There was a gray metal desk with a mountain of papers and an old rotary phone. He picked it up and dialed.

The phone rang about five or six times before someone answered. "Dis better be good," a deep male voice said into the phone.

"Remy, it's Lucas," he said.

"What you want at dis hour?" Remy snapped.

"You said ta let ya know when that girl leaves, right?"

"She check out?" Remy asked.

"No, just out ta breakfast. Tilly sent her to Mercy's. Ah know ya know where that is, right?"

"'Course I do," Remy said.

"What you gonna do?" Lucas asked.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Dis is my personal business, Lucas, and t'anks for callin'."

Lucas hung up to phone and stared at his mountain of work. He sat down at his desk and sighed in frustration. _Damn, Remy LaBeau,_ he thought to himself. He had no time to play babysitter to Remy's latest conquest, but he also knew what that boy could do to him. He shuttered at the thought.

Outside the door Tilly was listening carefully. She heard every word Lucas said. She knew the party on the other end's name was Remy, but seeing that she only got half of the conversation she wasn't sure why Lucas was telling him where Rogue went.

She quietly walked back over to the desk and picked up the phone and dialed. Slowly the red curls, pale green eyes along with the thin firm teenage human body slowly faded away and in its place stood a blue-skinned woman with yellow eyes.

She waited for someone to pick up the other end. "Irene," she stated.

"Yes, Raven," the woman on the other end said.

"I found her," the blue-skinned woman said.

"Will you bring her home?" Irene asked.

"No, not yet," Raven said. "First I have to contact someone, an old friend. I'll call you soon when I know what I'm going to do."

"Be careful, Raven," Irene said. "She's fragile, and if you reveal yourself too soon she just might run again."

"Don't worry, Irene, I have no intention of losing her again."

Raven hung up the phone and dialed another number. After barely one ring a man picked up. "Jean-Luc," she said sharply into the phone.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Don't play dumb with me," Raven said. "You know who it is and we have trouble. It seems your boy is up to something."

"Henri?" Jean-Luc questioned.

"No, the other one," Raven said. "And I'm not going to allow him to corrupt my daughter."

"What's Remy done now?" Jean-Luc asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but you better keep him under control."

"I can't control dat boy any more den you can control dat daughter a yours. Don't you remember de reasons we kept dose two apart?"

"Yes, and it's going to stay that way," Raven said. "Irene's vision spells disaster if those two are allowed to stay together. So what do you intend to do about?"

"Don' worry, Raven. I'll handle it," Jean-Luc said and then abruptly hung up the phone.

She scowled at his rudeness but placed the phone down on the receiver slowly and reverted back into her disguise as Tilly. Her first instinct was to go after Rogue, but she would be patient. She would wait for the girl to come to her. She sat back in her chair and pondered the thought.

Suddenly Lucas came out of his office again. "Tilly, ah need to go out for a while. I'll be back later."

"Whatever," she said, while filing her nails. She got up from her chair as Lucas left the hotel. A plan was forming in her mind, and she didn't trust Jean-Luc to help her. She would get her daughter back, even if she had to wipe out the entire Thieves' Guild to do it.

Remy left his apartment that morning and rode his motorcycle over to Mercy's Diner. He parked his bike in the alley and walked slowly over to the place. He looked through the window and saw the girl he met last night over in the corner booth. He went inside and casually walked up to her.

"May I join you?" he asked politely.

She looked up and gasped when she saw him. "What are ya doin' here?"

"Same as you? Havin' a little breakfast. T'ought ya might be lonely," he said and sat down opposite her.

"Ah didn't say ya could sit down," she said.

"An' you didn't say I couldn't either," he said, reaching across the table for her gloved hand. She quickly pulled it away before he could touch her.

"Why you do dat?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, confused by his statement.

"Pull away," he said in a quiet voice. His eyes bore into hers which made her look away. "Just wanted to touch your hand is all."

"Ah just don't like people touchin', me" she said nervously. She folded her hands over her chest looking down. "It ain't safe."

He didn't fully understand what she meant by that, but let it go for now. Then he thought back to last night. He had touched her skin for a brief second and felt weak afterwards. He felt the fear in her. She was afraid, but maybe not so much of others particularly but maybe herself. He was determined to learn all her secrets, but it would take time.

"Here you go, Miss," the waitress came over and said, while carrying a plate of food. She placed a plate in front of her with a bacon omelet on it with four sausage links and a piping hot cup of coffee. "Is everything to your liking?"

"Sure," Rogue said with a half-smile trying to be polite. "Everything's fine."

The waitress turned to Remy and gave him a hungry look. "So what's your pleasure, handsome," she said. She batted her eyelashes and gave him a big smile while leaning close to him. "Should I tell you the breakfast specials?"

Rogue threw him a look of disgust. "Non, I'll jus' have what she's havin', but make my coffee black."

"Anything you want," she said and walked away wiggling her hips in her short tight powder blue uniform. Remy couldn't help but notice.

He looked over at Rogue who was practically mutilating her food. "Somet'ing wrong, Chere?"

She then looked up at him. She didn't say anything, just glared at him and went back to eating. Remy just laughed at her behavior. "What's so funny?" she finally said after swallowing a piece of sausage.

"You," he said letting his laughter die down a little. "You actin' like a jealous girlfriend."

"That's ridiculous," Rogue said putting her fork down. "It's obvious you like her, so go annoy her and leave me alone."

"You t'ink I like dat girl?" he asked.

"Well, you were lookin' at her," Rogue said matter-a-factly.

"So, I like lookin' at pretty girls. What wrong wid dat?" Rogue was about to say something but Remy beat her to it. "I like looking at you, even more den dat girl. Somethin' special about you, Chere. I knew dat de moment I saw you."

"You don't even know me," she said.

"I'd like to," he said, trying to reach for her hand. She pulled away, placing her hands in her lap. "Forgot, you don' like touchin'. Dat what you said, Chere."

"Why do ya call me that?" she snapped at him.

"Well, you never tell Remy your name, so gotta call you somt'ing."

"It's Rogue," she said, looking away shyly.

"You sure?" he asked. "Kind of a funny name for a girl as pretty as you."

"That's what people call me," she said. He started to open she mouth, but pointed a gloved finger at him. "Don't bother askin' my real name, 'cause that ain't none a your business."

"Fine den, Rogue is it," he said and sat back in his seat. He looked up to see a woman approaching, carrying an order of food. "Well, Remy LaBeau," the woman said. "What brings you here dis fine mornin'?" Just then she looked over to see a pretty young woman with the greenest eyes she had ever seen. "As if I had ta ask."

"Mercy, it's nice ta see you again," he said, as she placed the plate in front of him.

"Here's your black coffee," she said with a smile. "So how's dat brother a yours? Haven't seen him in lately."

"Pere's keepin' 'im busy," Remy said.

"I'll bet," Mercy said with a scowl. "Dat ole scoundrel is jus' tryin' ta keep me away from him. Sayin' I'm too distractin'."

"Sounds like pere," Remy said with a dry laugh. "He do anyt'ing ta keep his boys under foot."

"Never worked wid you," Mercy said jokingly.

"Dat's why he stopped tryin'," Remy said.

Mercy laughed at that. "I guess dere's jus' no taimin' a LaBeau man." She turned to Rogue who was quietly listening to the conversation. "You remember dat, petite. Dis one here's a wild one."

"Yeah, ah'll remember that," she said and drank the last of her coffee. "So what ah owe ya?"

"Well, since you're a friend a Remy's here, it on de house," Mercy said with a smile.

"But ah couldn't…"

"T'ink not'ing of it," Mercy said. "And don' even t'ink a tryin' ta leave any money. I jus' won' be acceptin' it."

"Ain't no use arguin' wid her, Chere," Remy said. "Mercy's a stubborn woman. She get an idea in her pretty little head, an' dere ain't no changin' it."

"You on de ot'er hand I should charge double. Askin' a girl out ta breakfast an' don' even bother ta offer ta pay."

"Oh, no, we're not together," Rogue corrected her. "Remy," and she put emphasis on his name. "He kinda just followed me in here… like a little lost puppy dog."

Mercy laughed at that. "Well, dat's a good way to put it." She turned to Remy and said, "I gotta get back to work now, trainin' a new girl."

"What? Had enough a torcherin' Remy," he said giving a fake expression of a wounded man.

Mercy just shook her head and laugh. "Ain't fallin' for dat, LaBeau. Jus' tell dat brother a yours ta not be a stranger."

"Sure t'ing, Mercy," Remy said with a smile. After Mercy left he turned to Rogue and said, "Was is fun teasin' Remy like dat?"

"Are ya sore?" she asked.

"Non, I like a feisty girl," he said as he started to eat. She suddenly looked away, which prompted a question that was nagging at him. He tried to act casual but there was something about her that made him anxious. "So why you come ta 'Nawlins?" he asked in between bites.

"Ah don't know. Good a place as any. Jus' had to get away from things is all." She got quiet for a moment and then asked him, "So why ya followin' me?"

"What makes you t'ink I was followin' you?" he asked, finishing the last of his eggs.

"'Cause everywhere ah go you pop up, like last night," she said.

"Wasn't followin' you, Chere. Jus' passin' by when I spotted Julien hasslin' you. Could never deny a damsel in distress, so I t'ought I'd offer my services."

"Services?" she shouted in outrage. She stood up and leaned over towards him. "And what makes you think I needed your help?"

"Dat's right," he said, standing up to look her in the eye. "You knocked dat guy out wid one touch."

Rogue sank back down in her seat while Remy still hovered over her. His words repeated themselves over and over until it sounded like an echo that only she could hear. Finally she found her voice and said, "That's not…"

"Yes, it is," Remy said, sitting back down. "I know what you are, but dat's okay. Remy's one too." Suddenly the fork he was holding glowed dimly. Rogue had a look a fright about her face.

The fork returned to normal as she rose from her seat. She was about to take off when Remy grabbed her hand. "Don't have ta be afraid of it, Chere."

She snatched her hand back. "Do yourself a favor and stay away from me." With that she stormed out of the diner. Remy slowly rose from his seat leaving his plate of half eaten breakfast, reached into his pocket, threw a crumpled twenty dollar bill on the table and left.

That same morning Lucas Lansing, owner of the Blue Star Hotel, got into his car and sped off. He was shaking a bit at the wheel. He hated what he had to do, but he felt he had no choice. The prince of the Thieves Guild had used him one too many times, but to betray the thieves would mean his death, so he went to the only source of refuge that might save him. Sure it was a deal with the devil so to speak, but he had run out of options.

Suddenly is phone rang. He nervously picked it up and looked at the caller ID. It was a Mississippi number, one he recognized as his cousin Nora's number.

"Hello," he said into the pone.

"Lucas, it's Nora," a woman's voice came on the other end.

"Ah figured that, so is there anythin' wrong?"

"Well, maybe," Nora said. "There was an incident here the other night. My boy Kelvin went to this party where kid got knocked out by some girl."

"Is that all?" Lucas said. "Ah don't have time for this stupid gossip."

"Lucas, the boy is in a coma. They're sayin' the girl was a mutant."

"Really? Well, what happened to the girl? They got locked up or somthin'?"

"No, she took off and no one knows where. Authorities questioned her aunt, but she claims the girl ran away. You haven't seen anything suspicious down in swampland have ya?"

"No, not really," Lucas said, but thought back to the girl who checked in last night, a girl who was of such great interest to a certain thief. "What she look like?"

"Kalvin says it was a girl from school, one a those goth girls. She gotta strange white streak in her hair."

"Really?" Lucas said. "So how did you supposed she knocked this boy out."

"Can you believe a kiss of all things," Nora said. "Ah just wonder if it's all a tall tale, but if she is one a them mutants anything is possible."

"Yeah, ah know what you mean," Lucas said in a faraway voice. He was silent for several moments before he realized Nora was screaming at him over the phone. "Uhh, look, Nora, ah gotta go. Ah'll talk to a later."

She was still talking when he ended the call. He didn't want to be rude, but he thought back to incident he heard about last night involving Julian Boudreaux. Word on the street was he got knocked out after supposedly attacking some girl, but she had turns the table on him. He had a hard time believing a girl could knock him out. He had a reputation on the street of being one of the most ruthless assassins in the guild, which made sense seeing he was Marius Boudreax's son. This piece of information his cousin gave him just cemented what he was about to do.

He approached the home of Marius Boudreaux. He climbed the steps of the large mansion almost stumbling with each step. His first instinct was to turn and run, but he kept going. His hate for Remy LaBeau, which extended to the entire Thieves' Guild, was overpowering his good sense.

There was a guard at the front entrance which made Lucas even more nervous. Given who Marius Boudreaux was, it was no wonder he would have the best protection.

"State your business," the man said. He stared down Lucas as if he wanted to kill him right then and there, but seeing that it was broad daylight he refrained from that impulse.

"My name's Lucas Landsing. Ah need ta see Marius Boudreaux right away," he said nervously.

"No one sees Marius Boudreaux," the man said. "Not without an appointment and some are never seen again."

"It involves the attack on his son last night," Lucas said.

"What do you know about Julien's… accident?"

"Ah know who did it," Lucas said.

"Then I'll relay the message," the man said.

"No, ah talk ta Marius himself an' on one else," Lucas said.

"Very well, but if you're lying you're a dead man," he said and led him inside.

Something told Lucas that he shouldn't be here, that if he went through with this his death was certain, but it was too late to turn back now. He was led down a dark hallway to a pair of large double doors. He entered cautiously, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

A man was sitting at a large desk made of fine wood. His was in his late forties, but age was already showing on his face well beyond his years. His graying hair was slicked back, and his eyes were a dark speckled gray and possessed a darkness about them. He was just putting down the phone when he looked up and saw one of his guards standing there with Lucas straggling behind trying to hide himself as much as possible.

"What is de meaning of dis?" Marius looked up and said.

"Sir, I didn't mean to disturb you, but this gentleman says he knows about the attack on Julien."

Marius shot up from his chair. "What does he know?"

"He wouldn't tell me. He said he would only speak directly to you," he said.

"Very well," Marius said and approached Lucas. "So who are you?"

"My name's Lucas Lansing," Lucas said nervously. "Ah own the Blue Star Hotel."

"And what you know what 'bout the attack on Julien?" Marius asked.

"Ah think ah know who did it," Lucas said.

"An' how you know dis?" Marius asked, circling around Lucas.

"'Cause the girl is stayin' at my hotel," Lucas said.

"A girl?" Marius laughed at the thought. "No mere girl could get de drop on my son."

"How 'bout a mutant girl," Lucas said. Marius looked intrigued. "There's somethin' else, the Thieves Guild." Marius' eyes grew wide. "Or more specifically, Jean-Luc's boy, he's got somethin' ta do with it. He came sniffin' 'round lookin' for that girl. You know he's a mutant. Ah think maybe he's tryin' ta recruit her for the guild."

"So how you know dis girl got power?" Marius asked.

"Ah could sense it," Lucas said. "Ah can always sense when mutants are around."

"Dere's more to it den dat," Marius said. "You know what her power is?"

"Not sure but…" he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Ah have a cousin who lives in a little town in Mississippi. A few days ago somethin' happened there. It was a mutant girl. She knocked a boy clean out into a coma with just a touch. Then she disappeared. Her boy Kalvin was at that party where it happened, an' the girl at my hotel, she fits the description. Now, a girl with that kind of power would make a perfect recruit, an' don't you want ta get to her before the Thieves get their hooks in her?"

"What's in it for you?" Marius asked. "Why you care about Guild business?"

"Ah don't, but ah hate the Thieves, been shakin' me down for years."

"Dey kill you, dey know you talk ta me," Marius said.

"Ah know, but…"

Marius laughed hard at him. "You got guts, Landsing. So, where do ah find dis girl. She at your place now?"

"Ah don't know. My day girl sent her to Mercy's for breakfast, but she'll be back. Jus' watch out for Gambit. He gotta special interest in her."

"Gambit, you say. We take care a him. Got scout watchin' dat one." Lucas looked a little more relaxed. Marius approached him, looking him directly in the eye. "You can go now."

"Go?" Lucas questioned. "An' what do ah get?"

"You get to live," Marius fired at him. "For now."

"Fine," Lucas said as he was escorted out by Marius' guard.

Marius walked over to his desk the picked up the phone. "Pierre, get de boys. I gotta job for you." He hung up the phone and stared out the window. "Well, Lansing, I got your reward for you."

Lucas trailed back to him car that was parked down the road a ways. Only then did he realize that he made a big mistake. Two men, Marius' men, grabbed him and dragged him into the swamp nearby. "What's this all about?"

"Marius changed his mind," one of them said and pointed a gun right to his head.

"No, please, don't…"

It was the last three words Lucas Lansing ever said. The two men dumped his body in the deep water watching his dead weight sink under the water.

After Rogue left the diner that morning she decided that she needed to do some shopping. She really needed to get herself some new clothes. It was strange being in this city. She felt like she had been here before, but as far as she knew she hadn't. Still, she seemed to know her way around. She thought it was possibly some left over memories from absorbing Julien the night before, but his persona had faded mostly away. Still she felt a piece of him still lingering. She tried to block him out of her mind, but she could feel a faint shadow of his voice in the back of her mind, along with Cody and the mutants she absorbed that fateful night.

She reached the shopping center and looked around in the stores for several hours. She bought some new shoes, jeans and some long sleeve tops and few pairs of gloves. She had lunch in the food court and decided to see a movie. It wasn't a very interesting film but anything was better than going back to the hotel where she would just sit in her room pondering on her messed up life.

As the sun went down she returned to the hotel with several shopping bags and a bout of exhaustion. She placed her bags in the corner and plopped down on the bed. She closed her eyes momentarily not realizing she had left the door ajar. Suddenly a shadow crept over her causing her to gasp and bolt up to a sitting position.

"You're quite de little rogue," a man voice came. She looked up and saw a stranger standing a few feet away from her bed. "Dat is your name, ain't it?"

"That ain't none of your business," Rogue said as the man approached her bed.

She rolled to the other side of the bed and slid off. Her feet hit the ground, and she tried to run for the door. There were two other men blocking her way. The man that had approached first grabbed her from behind and twisted her arms behind her back.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

"Shut up, an I won't have ta hurt you," he said. His words only made Rogue angry.

"Fat chance, asshole!" she shouted as she continued to struggle. She then felt his hand go across her mouth. He had gloves on, just her luck. She wasn't down yet. She was able to open her mouth before his hand pressed down on it and bit him through his gloves.

He screamed in pain throwing her to the floor. She tried to pull off her glove, but one of the other men approached her grabbing her by the wrist. "Oh, no, chienne," he said slamming her against the wall. The impact sent a sharp pain up her spine. "We know your little tricks. You ain't gonna do to us what you did ta Julien."

"Like ah said before, let go a me," she said, "or you'll get the same as Julien."

"Not a chance," he said.

The other man who was blocking the door approached her as well. "Ole Marius wants you alive," he said, staring intensely at her. He grabbed her throat in the attempts to choke her. "But he didn't say anyt'ing about damaged."

"Yeah," said the man of whose hand she bit. "Gag her," he said. "An' tie dose pretty little hands a hers."

At that moment Rogue kneed the guy who was holding her in the crotch. She had almost reached the door when she felt her body being slammed to the floor. The impact knocked the wind out of her. She tried to move, but there was an incredible amount of weight on her.

"Get off me!" she shouted, struggling to get free.

"I said gag her! Don' wanna hear her whinin' 'til we get her to de boss."

"You ain't takin' her nowhere," a voices came from the door. Rogue was barely able to look up. It was dark, but she saw a pair of glowing red eyes, familiar eyes. She knew exactly who it was. She had never been so grateful to have a stalker then that moment.

"Get out a here, Gambit, dis don' concern you," said one of the men. Rogue was still being held down by the other two.

"If it concerns her, den you gotta deal wid me," Remy said.

"Marius wants her, and dat's all you need to know," he said. "Now get out a here and let me do my job."

"Like I said, you ain't takin' her nowhere," Remy said and exposed the card in his hand. It glowed brightly within seconds. The three men backed up, but before they could get away Remy threw the card towards them.

They dived out of the way in different directions as the card exploded. It left a large whole in the wall that led outside. The three men scrambled through the opening and ran out into the night. Rogue had her face covered until the noise died down. She looked up to see Remy's handiwork.

Remy squatted down next to Rogue who was still lying on the floor. "Hey, you alright?"

She tried to sit up, but she felt the pain in her back. "Damn, that hurts," she said.

"Take it slow," Remy said as he helped her onto the bed. "Dey hurt you." It was more of a statement. "Damn assassins."

"Assassins?" Rogue said, a look of fright in her eyes.

"Yeah," Remy said. "Dey would a killed you."

"No, they said that someone, Marius ah think, wanted me alive."

"Merde!" Remy said and paced the floor. "Chere," he said, looking over at her. "You ain't safe here, not if Marius wants you."

"Why? What would he want with me?" she asked.

"Don' know," he said. "Maybe 'cause you're a mutant."

Rogue turned away as tears fell from her eyes. Remy sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's alright, Rogue. I'll protect you, I promise." She turned to him while drying her eyes. "Won' let dose damn assassins get dere hands on you.'

"You mean that?" she asked. He nodded as she gave him a small smile. Then she leaned into his chest. She felt his arms around her, his touch was so gentle, and for some reason she felt she would have been content to stay there forever.

After a few minutes she raised her head to look in his eyes. "Gotta get you outta here," he said

"Ah got nowhere t'go," she said.

"Don' worry, Rogue," he said. "I'll take you ta my place."

"Wait, ah can't do that," she said. "Ah don't want ya t'think…"

"What?" he asked. "Jus' wanna protect you. I promise, I be a perfect gentleman." Rogue hesitated for a moment. "Can' you trust me to take care a you? An' if I get outta hand you jus' knock me out with that power of yours."

Rogue genuinely laughed for the first time in days. "Alright, just remember ya gave me permission."

He stood up from the bed and took her hands and helped her up. She was still in a bit of pain. He picked up her bags that she left in the corner and walked with her out of the hotel room.

**Okay, that the end of this long chapter. There's more to come in the next chapter when Rogue and Remy realize that the past they both dreamed about actually did happen. Is there romance in the air, or more trouble on the way? Be here next time to find out. Remember to review. I love to hear from you.**


	7. Chapter 7: New Roommate

**Sorry that this took so long. I've been so busy lately I almost forgot about this one. Thanks for being patient. Remy has a new roommate in this chapter, and it's Rogue.  
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**Chapter Seven: New Roommate**

The ride on Remy's bike seemed like it took forever, but Rogue was still reeling from the attack. She kept going over and over it in her mind. Why would a bunch of assassins come after her? She was new in town, only had arrived a few days ago. There was only one explanation, her accursed powers, and since they hadn't killed her which they could have done quite easily, they must have wanted to exploit her. That more than anything made her angry. After all that had happened to her in the last few days, Rogue figured it would be a long time before she would be able to trust someone again, but here she was trusting a guy she barely knew.

She was holding onto him tight as they road down the street. He made a sharp turn down a side street and road into a parking garage next to an old brownstone building. He parked the bike and got off and helped her off.

"Hope de ride wasn't too bumpy," he said.

"No, it was fine. Ah like bikes… better than cars."

"Yeah, me too," he said as he helped her with her bags. She managed to fit everything into two bags. One large shopping and her duffel bag which she brought with her.

He led her to the elevator and waited for it to open. They got in and pushed the button to the tenth floor. Rogue wanted to say something, but right now small talk didn't seem appropriate. She just couldn't say what was really on her mind. As they stood in the elevator she caught him staring at her. For a few moments she casually looked over at him. Then she shyly looked away, which she hoped he didn't notice.

Suddenly the elevator opened and he took her hand and led her down the long hallway. He stopped at the last door at the end. He quickly opened it and led her inside. She looked around to see that it was quite luxurious. It had lush emerald green carpet with the walls painted dark red and black leather furniture. There was also a full entertainment center with a satellite receiver and DVD recorder. This guy couldn't have been more than a few years older than her, and she wondered how he was able to afford such luxuries, but then she thought that he could come from a wealthy family.

"So you like it?" he asked. She was speechless for a good long minute before he attempted to lighten the mood. "It ain't much, but it's home."

"What do ya mean, ain't much?" Rogue asked as he offered her a seat. "It's the nicest place ah've ever seen."

"Glad you like it," he said and stood up. "You want somet'ing ta drink?"

"Yeah," Rogue said a little nervously. "A soda?"

He smiled back at her while reaching into the refrigerator and grabbed a can. He took out a beer for himself. He poured it into a glass with a few ice cubes and walked back over to the couch.

"Thanks," was all she could say and turned away from him shyly. After a few moments of silence she spoke up. "Can ah ask ya somthin'?"

"What you wanna know?" he asked as he gulped down his beer.

"Why did ya save me?" He looked a little confused by the question. "I mean, well, why are ya helpin' me so much? Ah mean ya don't even know me."

"'Cause you needed it," he said. "After what happened wid Julien, I knew dey be comin' for you sooner or later."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"'Cause I know assassins. Dey don't stop until de job is done."

Rogue started to shake at his words. He came closer to her and put his arm around her. "Don' you worry t'ough. I won't let not'ing happen ta you."

"How're you gonna stop 'em. Who knows how many will come next time."

"Dey won't come here," he said. "My family owns dis place, no assassins allowed. Dis place is protected."

"But how? Ah'm scared. A don't know what they want or why, and ah…"

"Stop worryin'," he said and stroked her hair. "You look tired, Chere. T'ink you should get some sleep."

"Where am ah…?"

"In de bedroom," he said. She stiffened for a moment. "don' worry. You take the bedroom, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, ah couldn't do that. A can't kick ya outta your own bed."

"Den what you suggest?" he asked, a sly look in his eye.

"Well, I'll take the couch. It's only fair, an' ah should pay ya something for lettin' me stay here."

"Ah, no," Remy said. "You're my guest, so you go on in the bedroom." He stood up and took her hand and led her through the door. "An' I wouldn't even t'ink a chargin' you."

"Alright, you win," she said as he handed her bags to her.

"If you need some help changin' I could offer my services," he said and winked at her.

"Ah think ah can manage," she said and shut the door in his face.

She looked around the room. It was quite a large bedroom with a king sized bed with red and black sheets. There was a large dresser and two doors. One she discovered was a bathroom and the other she guessed was the closet. She decided to go into the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the toilet before going to bed. She changed into her nightshirt and walked back into the bedroom. She stood there staring at the bed realizing just how tired she really was. She turned down the sheets and crawled into bed. She fell asleep almost immediately.

On the other side of the door Remy had been listening at the door. When everything settled to silence he cracked the door slightly and peeked in and peeked in and saw Rogue was sleeping soundly. He smiled slightly and closed the door. He looked over and noticed on his leather chair Rogue's jacket was laid across the arm. He walked over and picked it up as he did he heard the sound of something falling onto the floor. He looked down to see a necklace. He squatted down and picked it up. It was a cheap metallic material with red, green and blue paint. It was in the shape of a butterfly in flight. He studied it for a moment before slightly returning to a standing position.

Something triggered in his mind. He had seen this before. He remembered being a kid, no more than seven and there was a little girl a bit younger than him. The voices of those children echoed in his head.

_Promise me you'll never take it off_, the boy's voice echoed in his hand.

_I promise_. He heard the little girl's voice ring in his head.

He looked down at the necklace again. It was the same kind he had given that little girl. He had thought about her for years, even dreamed about her, but everyone including his father tried to convince him that it was all a dream. He always knew it was real, that she was real. He had spent most of his life searching for that girl, his dream girl. He just wondered if it really was her or just another facade his mind made up to trick him.

As he examined the necklace he noticed the clap was broken or just had come loose. He walked into the kitchen and opened the utility drawer. He pulled out the tiny screwdriver and tightened the little screw holding the clasp.

_Dat should do it_, he said to himself. He looked over at the door of his bedroom. He contemplated whether or not he should go in. He decided he would. He just had to look at her one more time. If he could do that he would know whether or not it was truly her, and if it was then he would know that his adoptive parents had lied to him.

He opened the door slowly and walked in. There she was sleeping in his bed. She looked like an angel wrapped up in his sheets. He placed the necklace on the nightstand in plain sight so when she awakened she would see it.

She stirred slightly as he brushed his gloved hand across her face. He so desperately wanted to feel the softness of her skin, but after the last time he dared not. His finger brushed lightly over her luscious lips. He thought to himself how those lips were made for kissing. Then he felt a pang of jealousy come over him thinking about any man ever touching those lips. Had she ever kissed anyone before? Maybe she had and he started to hate this invisible man who may not have touched his angel.

Suddenly he heard her sigh in her sleep. She was muttering something which he could barely make out, but one word he heard clearly, his name.

"Remy," she mumbled in her sleep. "Ah promise I'll come back."

Why would she say that? Then he remembered. That little girl had said that too, but she never did come back, only in his dreams. Was she that little girl? He wanted to believe she was, but he had to be sure.

He got up from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He covered her where she had kicked off the blankets. It was a cold night and he couldn't bear the thought of her getting sick. He left the room that night and attempted to sleep on the couch, but sleep wouldn't come. He laid there thinking of her and when he did finally fall asleep he dreamed only of her.

The sun filtered in through the window over the couch early that morning. Remy had awakened, not that he had gotten much sleep anyway. The phone rang and he picked it up quickly not wanting to wake Rogue assuming she was still asleep.

"What is it?" he said in an abrupt voice.

"Remy, my boy, I got a job for ya," he heard a man's voice come over the phone.

"What now, pere?" he said and let out a deep sigh of frustration.

"We got a special client," Jean-Luc said. "an' I need you t'do dis job."

"Can't you get Henri or one a de ot'er boys t'do it?"

"No, Remy, it's got t'be you. Dis client don' want no slip ups. You de best so dis job's all yours, and he's willin' t'pay t'ough de teeth."

"Fine, what is it?" Remy asked, giving up the fight.

"I need you to steel a gem. It's a small green stone," jean-Luc said.

"An emerald, dis 'bout an emerald," Remy said, trying not to raise his voice.

"It ain't no emerald. Not sure what it is but some guy named Lehnsherr wants it. He a mutant, like you, Remy. If he wants dat stone gotta be soemthin' powerful."

"How much money we talkin' 'bout?"

"Enough t'set you up for t'ree lifetimes," Jean-Luc said.

Remy was silent for a moment. He had done many jobs over the last few years that paid well and they were all quite dangerous, but if this man was willing to give up such a fortune the danger level of this job must be at least ten times any other jobs he pulled off.

"Okay, I'll do it," Remy said. It wasn't so much for the money but the challenge. This may be just the job to get his blood pumping.

"Henri'll come by later and give you all the details," Jean-Luc said. "And, Remy, don't screw dis up. Gotta a feeling dis man could kill ya easy if ya double cross him."

"I said I'd do it, pere. Now, you gonna trust me do it, right?"

"Sure, Remy," Jean-Luc said and hung up the phone without saying goodbye.

It looked like Jean-Luc had roped him into another job. One of the reasons he moved out of Jean-Luc's mansion was to get a little freedom, but he felt like he was still under his father's thumb.

He put it out of his mind as he opened the refrigerator door. He didn't want his pretty little house guest coming out with nothing to eat.

Meanwhile across town Jean-Luc had just hung up the phone and stared up at the bright yellow eyes of a blue-skinned woman sitting with her legs crossed on his desk.

"So, did he buy it?" the woman asked him.

"'Course he did, Raven," Jean-Luc said, standing up and leaning towards the woman. "Remy can't say no t'me. Part of the LeBeau charm. No one can resist, especially women."

"Don't press your luck, Jean-Luc," Raven said and jumped off the desk and onto her feet. "I want my daughter back, in one piece and uncorrupted."

"What Remy gonna do to her?" Jean-Luc questioned, coming around the desk and stopped in front of Raven. "Like you said, she untouchable."

"And she's going to stay that way," Raven said, pointing at Jean-Luc. She walked around to the window and looked about. "So, do you think he can do it?"

"Steal dat Gem?" Jean Luc said. "I trained dat boy myself. He can do it, but do you care. You say the job is jus' a distraction to get him away from Anna Marie."

"It is a distraction, but…"

"But what?" Jean-Luc asked with a confused look on his face.

"That gem is real, and it's very powerful. Eric wouldn't want it if it wasn't real, so your _son _is going to get for me, and Eric Lehnsherr will be none the wiser."

"So he does know about dis gem," Jean Luc said.

"No, but he will… eventually, and by then it will be too late." Raven stared deep at the scenery outside, even at night this place was beautiful, not that she would ever tell Jean-Luc that. "Just make sure you're boy doesn't screw up."

Rogue came out of the bedroom after having had a shower. She saw that a small round table was set. There was a plan red tablecloth and two plates sitting on it and a centerpiece which consisted a of a simple crystal vase with a red and black rose in it. Rogue couldn't help but be impressed. Was he really going through all this trouble just for her? Inside she loved all the attention, but she tried to hide that fact on the outside. She didn't want to give him any unnecessary encouragement.

"What's all this?" she asked as Remy came towards her.

"What's it look like?" Remy answered her with a question. He took her hand and led her over to the table. He pulled a chair out for her and prompted her to sit down.

"So, you made me breakfast?" she asked. "Or did you ordered in?"

"Naw, Rogue, Remy made dis himself," he said. "Remy a good cook. Now you try some."

Rogue looked down at her plate. It looked like a simple omelet with s few sausage links on the side and some helping of hash brown potatoes. She bit into the omelet and relished the flavor of the buttery egg and beacon with just a hint of cheese.

"Mmmm…." She couldn't help from saying as she swallowed.

"Then you like, chere," Remy asked her.

"More than like," Rogue said with a smile. "This is a best omelet ah ever had. Well… besides mine."

"You cook?" Remy asked her.

"Of course ah can," she said. "I had to. Momma wasn't much of a cook and she was never home much anyway and my aunt. She's blind, so cooking wasn't her strong point. So I thought ah better learn, or we all might starve to death."

"You miss dem?" Remy asked.

"Sometimes, but I had t'leave. If ah didn't then…"

"Den what?" Remy asked her.

"Ah just don't want my Aunt Irene getting' in trouble 'cause a me, so ah left. Jus' seems no matter what trouble follows. Tarra, she's mah best friend she always said we were prone to it, so why fight it."

She laughed a little, but she had to admit that she missed her old life. Hanging out with Tarra and Bruno on a Saturday night, nothing big just hanging out at the graveyard downing a bottle of Tequila Tarra copped from her mother's liquor cabinet, and then trying to cover up the alcohol on her breath so Irene wouldn't find out. It never worked. Then she found herself grounded for the next two weeks and had to hear a lecture from Irene on the dangers of drinking.

"Dere's always some kind of trouble in dis here town," he said. "So why you choose t'come here?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then took a sip of her orange juice. "Well, it was the first bus out of town." She kind of laughed at that. "So I guess it was all coincidence."

"Naw, it was fate," Remy said. "Just look. You met me, chere."

"Well, that's true," she said but looked a little skeptical. She finished off the last of her food. "That was delicious."

"Want so more?" Remy asked her.

"Oh, no, if ah eat another bite I think ah might bust," Rogue said. She got up from the table and excused herself to the bathroom.

As she entered through the bedroom she noticed something sitting on the nightstand. It was her necklace. She thought it was in her jacket pocket. She picked it up and examined it. She remembered the clasp being broken and but somehow it was fixed. She thought Remy may have had something to do with it, and if he had he must have come in on her while she was sleeping. She put the necklace back on the nightstand and went into the bathroom. When she was done she ran a brush through her hair and put her hair up in a ponytail, only a few of her white hairs fell freely.

Before leaving the bedroom she picked up the necklace and walked out. She saw Remy cleaning up the last of the breakfast dishes. "Remy," she called out in a quiet voice. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Chere," he said as he wiped his hand from the soapy water.

She dangled the necklace in front of him. "The clasp broke the other night in alley with Julien, and ah just found it on the nightstand not broken anymore. Do ya know how it got fixed?"

"Ah came in last night to check on you. Dat's all. I found de necklace on de floor. I saw it was broken, so ah fixed it for you."

"Thanks," she said. "It's kind of special."

"Why is it special?" Remy asked, coming to stand next to her. "Where you get a t'ing like that?"

"I'm not sure," Rogue said. "My aunt said it was from ten cent machine, but ah don't believe that. I do keep having this dream though, about a little boy. He won me this necklace in one of these street vendor games. It's probably just a dream, but ah always keep it close. It just reminds me of him."

"Dat true?" Remy asked her, taking her hands. "Cause I had dreams a dis little girl wid dat very same necklace."

"No, that can't be true. That was just a dream," Rogue said then looked deeply into Remy's eyes. "Wasn't it?"

"Well, ah still remember dat girl's name. Anna Marie."

Rogue froze. "How do you know that name?" Remy just looked at her, into her green piercing eyes. They were the same as those of that girl he knew long ago.

"Because she told me dat was her name," Remy said.

"That's mah name, except I haven't used it in years." A few tears came down and Remy wrapped his arms around her. "That was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he said. "I've been lookin' for dat girl for years. Didn't t'ink ah would ever find her. My parents say she wasn't real. Dat she was just a dream."

She broke out of his embrace. "It was real, and I can prove it," she said and ran back into the bedroom. She came out a few minutes later with a sketchbook. She handed it to him. "Ah drew these, starting when ah was five."

Remy looked through the sketchbook, and saw pictures of himself. One as a little boy about seven and a few a little older at about twelve, and one of him as a teenager. The likeness was uncanny. How could she have known? Then he turned another page and saw a sketch of a man with pale skin. He looked like living death. He recognized that man. It was the one who took him.

"That man," Remy said. "He's the one…"

"Ah know. He kidnapped me when ah was a kid, but there was this boy there that helped me escape." Rogue looked up at Remy, his eyes filled with happiness. "That was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I remember dat. My mare and pare tried to make believe it didn't happened. Dat it was all a bad dream, but it happened, an' I swore if I ever found you again I'd never let you go."

He took her hands and led her over to the couch. "Remy, ah don't think it's a good idea for me t'stay."

"Why not, Anna?" he asked. "I want you here." He tried putting his arm around her, but she pulled away. "What's wrong?"

"You know what mah powers are, right?" she said, looking down at the floor. "We can't…" She stopped not able to go on.

"You t'ink dat's why I want you here," he said. She looked up at that moment. He noticed the tears falling from her eyes. "Don' cry, Anna, remember I said I'd always protect you." She nodded. "I been in love wid dat feisty little girl all des years, and now she even more feisty. I like dat, and who's t'say we can't ever touch. We'll find a way, and if we don't den just having you next t'me is enough." He put an arm around her. This time she didn't fight it. "Say you'll stay wid me."

"Ah'll stay," she said just above a whispered.

She had her arms around him. It had been a while since she had been this close to anyone. Her aunt and mother were not the touchy feely type. In fact, they made a point not to be affectionate. It dawned on her that they must have known. They knew what she would become. Perhaps by not showing her physical affection, maybe they thought that they were making it easier for her.

Suddenly a knock came at the door. "Remy, open up!' a male voice shouted from the other side. Rogue jumped out of fright.

"Don't worry," Remy said. "It's just my brother." He got up off the couch. "I'm coming!' he called out. Rogue stayed seated on the couch while Remy opened the door.

""Bout time." A man looking to be a year or two older than Remy walked through the door.

"Hey, Henri," Remy said and closed the door after he entered. "Pare said you'd be comin'."

"Yeah," Henri said and looked over at Rogue. "Oh, didn't know you were entertaining. Nice one, Remy boy." Henri gave him a devilish look that made Rogue a little uncomfortable.

Remy came towards her as she stood up and whispered in her ear. "Can you go on in the bedroom while I talk to my brother?"

"Okay," she said and walked past Henri who was staring at her the entire time. She slowly opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.

"Now, 'bout dis job," Henri said, and pulled out a thick file out of his coat. The floor plans are all dere, look 'em over before you go in half-cocked."

"A course I'll look at dem," Remy said almost yelling. "I ain't stupid."

"Good, de best time to strike is tonight. Security's low. De assassins still lookin' for dat missin' girl. Must be some prize ta bring in dere best trackers for de job."

"So dis building belong to de assassins?" Remy asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, so stay focused," Henri said. "Just 'cause security is low don't mean there ain't none. Plus, don' let that fem is dere distract you. She is a hot one. I wouldn't mind…"

"Shut your filthy mouth, Henri," Remy said with a glare in his eye. "An' don't you be lookin' at her de way you was lookin.'"

"What? You donna beat the shit outta me for lookin' at your girl."

"Maybe, den I'll tell Mercy," Remy said.

Henri had a look of horror on his face. "Ah, no, Remy, don' dat. Last time she caught me lookin' at a girl I couldn't eat at her place for a month, nearly starved t'death."

"Back to de job. Tell pere it'll be done tonight," Remy said.

"Fine," Henri said. "An' don't mess up."

Remy rolled his eyes as Henri left. He locked the door behind him. Remy walked over to the bedroom door and knocked. "Chere, you decent?"

"Yeah," she said. "Come on in." He opened the door to see her sitting on the bed reading a book.

"Ah hope you don't mind I borrowed one of your books off the shelf," she said and put it down on the nightstand. It was a book of poetry.

"You can read den books all you like," he said sitting down next to her. "Remy don't mind." He tried to get close to her, but she looked nervous. "Somethin' wrong?"

"No, but… ummm… but ah was wonderin' what did your brother want?" Rogue asked, but Remy had a feeling that wasn't what was on her mind.

"Just work stuff, dat's all," he said. "Look, chere, I gotta go out for a while. Promise me you'll stay here."

"Can ah go with you?" she asked.

"Non, it too dangerous for you ta be out dere now. Just stay here, an' I'll be back soon. I promise."

"Okay," she said looking disappointed. Remy kissed her gloved hand before getting up to leave. She sat there for a few minutes before hearing the outer door close.

Rogue sat on the bed for a while reading her book. It was one from Remy's small library. It was a vampire book she hadn't had a chance to read. She was so enthralled by the story that she lost tract of time, and by the time she looked up at the clock it was almost dinner time. Remy had been gone the whole day and she had no idea when he would return. She felt a grumbling in her stomach and got up off the bed and walked towards the kitchen. She was just about to open the refrigerator door when there came a knock at the door.

Rogue was suddenly nervous. If it were Remy he would just have walked it. She wondered who it could be. She quietly walked towards the door and looked through the keyhole. There was a blonde woman standing there with two foam food containers. It was the woman the diner. What was her name, Masey, no Mercy, that was it.

"Rogue, sweetie, are you in dere," she called out. "Remy asked me to come an' keep you company. Dat all right? He's jus' a little tied up at the moment."

After hearing her explanation, Rogue decided to take a chance and open the door. She only cracked it open to see Mercy's smiling face. "Come on, girl, an' open dat door. I got hot food in my hands."

Rogue quickly opened the door enough for her to come in. I got dinner for two and all the chick flicks we can watch."

"What did you say?" Rogue asked. She hated chick flicks.

"Just kidding, honey," she said. "Besides you look like the horror type. How about this one?" She handed it to her after she put the food down on the counter.

It was _Interview with a Vampire_, her favorite. She held onto the DVD tight as Mercy searched the kitchen for the proper dinnerware. That's when Rogue noticed something on the floor. She picked it up. It looked like a blue print to a building. She knew that place. She passed it on her first day in town. It was an old mansion. Then she remembered Remy saying he and his brother were discussing work. When he had asked her to go into the bedroom she spent the entire time listening at the door. That was the place he went to, and if he was going there it surely meant trouble, and without this blueprint he might not get out of it. She folded up the paper and put it in her pocket.

"Uhh… Mercy, can we skip the dinner and a movie thing, ah gotta go out."

"Oh, no, Rogue, Remy specifically told me to keep an eye on you, not to let you out of my sight."

"Ah don't need a babysitter," she shouted. "There's someplace ah gotta get to, an' I'm goin'."

"Like I said," Mercy said blocking the door. "I ain't lettin' you out of my sight."

"Fine, then you're comin' along," Rogue said and grabbed her hand. She reached the doorknob as Mercy tried to stop her.

"Jus' where you need ta go dat's so important?"

"Treasure huntin', Rogue said as Mercy backed up enough for Rogue to get through the door open. Rogue ran down the hallway with Mercy chasing after her.

**Thanks for reading. There's more trouble ahead in the next chapter when Rogue follows Remy on his "job." Henri and Mercy also find themselves in a mess of trouble too. More romance ahead while running from some very angry assassins. See you next time.**


End file.
